Consumers expect packaging producers to embrace recycling

United States – According to a national survey conducted for the Carton Council of North America (CCNA), 91% of the 2500 respondents expect food and beverage brands like Tetra Pak to ‘€˜actively help’€™ boost the recycling of their products. The online survey shows a 5% increase when compared to market research in 2013.

‘Packaging continues to play a critical role in driving carton recycling perception,’ says the CCNA. Some 67% of consumers assumed a package was not recyclable if it did not feature a recycling symbol while 57% stated that they first look to a product’s packaging for recycling information before turning to other sources. Furthermore, 77% of the people said they considered the effect of their purchase on the environment.

Increased awareness of sustainable products means that 34% of consumers searched the web for local recycling services while 28% tried to find out more on the product company’s website. ‘The survey results reiterate what we have long believed, that we must work together – the packaging manufacturers, brands and everyone in between – to ensure we are talking to consumers in a clear way about the recyclability of our products,’ comments Jason Pelz, CCNA’s vice president of recycling projects.

The USA and Canada have seen ‘tremendous growth’ in access to paper and cardboard packaging recycling services over the last seven years, he adds. At the time of the CCNA’s launch in 2009, ‘just 18%’ of US households had access to carton recycling services whereas the current proportion is 58%, covering 67 million households in total.

Two years ago, the CCNA convened the Carton Recycling Champions network, which comprises 21 companies which have pledged to help prevent cartons from ending up in landfills and to promote recycling in the media.