Sustainable packaging has been identified as a brand loyalty issue for Australians, according to a new report from independent market analyst Datamonitor.
Sustainable packaging is a growing consumer issue that has the potential to benefit numerous stakeholders.
At present, consumer interest in packaging is relatively low in general, but with a high proportion of consumers interested in the sustainability aspect of packaging.
The results of Datamonitor’s consumer survey in the second half of 2008 showed that in Australia, 43% of consumers felt that packaging design has a medium or high level of influence over their choice of food and drink products.
However, of this proportion, only 13% felt it exerted a very high level of influence on purchase.
Consumers’ relationship with packaging in many ways is complex because few will admit to its importance because it is often taken for granted, but increasing consumer concern about ecological matters means packaging is an issue that is rising to prominence.
Datamonitor’s consumer survey in 2008 found that a high proportion of Australian consumers felt that living an ethical or sustainable lifestyle is either important or very important to their well-being.
In Australia, this was true for 86% of women respondents, with 77% of men feeling the same.
Almost identical figures are attributed to the importance of protecting the environment for both men and women.
High awareness of the social desirability to act in an ethical manner is a key reason for this high response option but sustainability is also a growing consumer concern.
Sustainable packaging, as one of a number of important ethical and ecological consumer issues is one with scope for increased importance in future in much the same way that organic and fairtrade products were issues gaining significant momentum a decade ago.
Despite the gender divide in importance attributed to ethical issues, one area where there is greater uniformity among men and women in relation to sustainable packaging is their reaction to products deemed to be packaged excessively.
According to Datamonitor’s survey, almost half of Australian consumers (49% of women and 46% of men) will consider swapping brands if they deem one product to be excessively packaged compared to the alternatives.
With this in mind, all consumer packaged goods companies must continue to evaluate their packaging in order to align themselves with an emerging consumer trend.
Updating packaging can also be a more credible way to make cost savings without having to indulge in such methods as ‘package shrink’ or more accurately ‘portion shrink’ where a smaller amount of the product is sold at the same price.