UK consumers increasingly influenced by environmentally sound packaging as e-commerce becomes norm, finds Macfarlane Packaging
02 Nov 2021 --- Nearly one in five UK consumers (19%) say they would not buy from online retailers who do not use environmentally sustainable packaging, according to Macfarlane Packaging’s sixth annual unboxing survey of UK consumers.
The survey was completed by 600 people during the summer and covered online purchases from the food and beverage, health and beauty, fashion, and home and garden sectors, with products ranging from cosmetics to large home appliances.
With national lockdown restrictions in place throughout the first part of 2021, consumers increasingly turned to the internet to meet their shopping needs while they remained at home. The survey revealed 88% of respondents said they spent more time shopping online during the pandemic.
Moreover, 64% of those consumers said this behavior would not change in the future, with 30% of consumers saying they are likely to increase their online shopping.
Innova Market Insights uncovered similar results within the food sector. The market researcher found 35% of global consumers increased their home food delivery during the pandemic. Brazil was above average, with more than half (58%) of consumers turning to online purchasing.
Meanwhile, 15% of global consumers said they did not expect to return to regular grocery habits post-pandemic.
The rise of the eco-conscious shopper
Confirming the rise of the eco-conscious shopper, 97% of respondents to the Macfarlane Packaging survey said they follow recycling instructions “where possible.”
However, 14% indicated they were unsure about the recyclability of some packaging they received due to a lack of disposal guidance. The UK packaging distributor says these findings highlight the need for clear consumer communication on how to responsibly dispose of packaging.
Other survey highlights include:
- Delivery: 96% of respondents said they favored home delivery over click and collect, with 55% selecting home delivery for convenience and 40% taking advantage of free delivery.
- Environmental sustainability: 73% of respondents thought the packaging they received was recyclable.
- Packaging branding: There was an increase in deliveries with unbranded packaging, growing from 32% in 2020 to 45% in 2021, suggesting an increasing number of online retailers are missing the opportunity to connect with customers through an immersive unboxing experience.
- Damages: There was a slight increase in the percentage of damaged deliveries, increasing from 5% in 2020 to 9% in 2021.
“The past 18 months have changed the way we shop. Responses to this year’s survey are a clear indication online shopping is fast becoming the norm and consumers are demanding more sustainable packaging,” comments Laurel Granville, marketing director at Macfarlane Packaging.
Macfarlane Packaging found 97% of respondents claim to follow recycling instructions “where possible.”
“Macfarlane Packaging is working hard with its customers to help them achieve sustainably sound solutions to their packaging needs, and we hope this year’s feedback is of benefit to retailers who can see what consumers are demanding.”
PackagingInsights recently explored the accelerated growth of e-commerce home food delivery in the COVID-19 age in a webinar with Daniela Dorner, eCommerce director at Mondi, and Akhil Aiyar, senior market analyst at Innova Market Insights.
Macfarlane’s recycled stretch wrap
In March, Macfarlane Packaging, reportedly the UK’s largest distributor of protective packaging, replaced its existing blown hand-applied stretch wrap with a film containing a minimum of 30% recycled material.
The move puts Macfarlane’s stretch wrap in line with the UK’s Plastic Packaging Tax, due to come into force in April 2022. The tax will stipulate a £200 (US$276) per metric ton tax rate for plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled plastic produced or imported into the UK.
By Joshua Poole
