Consumers care about how their packaging choices affect the environment

Despite the staggering rate of global natural resource consumption, resource constraints are still not a top-of-mind issue for Americans. However, when resource scarcity is explained to consumers, their attitudes, actions and perceptions shift, according to a new snapshot survey from Denton, Texas-based Tetra Pak Inc. that was undertaken with international sustainability think tank Global Footprint Network.

The findings come as the world marks Earth Overshoot Day (www.overshootday.org), the day humanity has used up nature’s budget for the entire year, as determined by Global Footprint Network’s resource accounts. Humanity’s demand on the planet has moved Earth Overshoot Day from early October in 2000 to August 13 in 2015. Carbon sequestration makes up more than half of that demand, according to Global Footprint Network.

Tetra Pak and Global Footprint Network surveyed 1,000 U.S. household members who make decisions about groceries. Only 41 percent of respondents report being very aware of the issue of resource constraints, Tetra Pak said. However, an overwhelming number of respondents (86 percent) said that if they knew the use of renewable packaging contributed to reduced carbon emissions and helped slow climate change, it would impact their choice of packaging. This was particularly the case with women — 90 percent of women said they would choose renewable packaging if they knew it would help cut carbon emissions (versus 77 percent of men).

“With the heightened focus on climate change ahead of the U.N. Climate Conference in Paris in December, it is important not to overlook the role that renewable packaging and sustainable sourcing can play both in keeping the climate in balance and allowing precious natural resources to be renewed,” said Elisabeth Comere, director, environment and government affairs, Tetra Pak Inc., USA. “Our survey confirms our belief that with information and education, consumers will respond favorably to the need to pay closer attention to resource challenges and change their individual actions, including making more environmentally responsible decisions around packaging."

She noted that in addition to helping address climate change, using packaging from renewable materials helps preserve precious natural non-renewable resources by providing supply alternatives that can be sustainability harvested and sourced and re-grown or replenished over time.

The survey also explored specific actions respondents would be willing to do to conserve natural resources, such as pay more for water and restrict use, or search for clean, renewable energy alternatives. Seeking out food or beverages that came in renewable packaging was among the top three actions that respondents said they would be willing to take. The other actions were buying locally grown food as much as possible, and buying only the food that a household was going to consume and consuming all the food bought, Tetra Pak said.

In the survey, consumers said they are ready to be held as accountable as government and industry and support the need to do more — from changing their own behaviors to recognizing the need for companies to consider all facets of the lifecycle of products and packaging. Overwhelmingly, respondents (81 percent) said that no one group (individuals, industry, government) is responsible for addressing natural resource constraints, and a majority of respondents believe that no one group is doing enough, Tetra Pak stated.