Sung up fervently by brand owners and enthusiasts, the area of circular packaging is well on its way to climbing the hip parade on the other side of the counter. In a November survey conducted by English company PA Consulting with 4,000 end consumers in the USA and the United Kingdom, 77% of respondents do not choose products based on recyclable or reusable packaging. What's more: 45% said they don't take any recyclables to collection bins or recycling centers, reports on the Sustainable Plastics and Plastics News websites.
The biggest difference between the two countries came from the question of how respondents participate in the recycling journey. 46% of North American residents use designated collection bins or voluntary deposit centres, while in the United Kingdom the proportion rises to 64%.
The survey also showed varying attitudes towards reusable packaging by income range. 75% of those in the highest income range (in the range of US$ 100,000 per year) use disposable cups, while 55% in the lower income range (annual income below US$ 49,999) do the same. Saving money by choosing reusable packaging seems to be the motivation for choosing this approach for 58% of respondents. 71% said they would accept this alternative if they could earn points at the company to save on food and beverage purchases. Barriers cited by interviewed consumers to adopting reusable packaging: Forgetting to take this packaging shopping; Discomfort with the need to clean it after use; The hassle of storing packaging at home for reuse and finally, the cost of pre-purchasing and reusing it before using it in retail stores.
