US consumers opt for sustainability.
Thomas Reiner | 24.01.2020
Sustainability is meeting increasing readiness worldwide. The recyclability of packaging is therefore increasingly becoming a decisive factor when shopping – in the USA too.
For branded companies, the sustainability of their packaging has been an important issue for some years now. However, the need to actually establish effective solutions on the market has only really gained in importance in the last two years or so.
A fundamental driver is the growing sensitivity of consumers worldwide to environmental issues, which is increasingly being incorporated into purchasing decisions.
Figures from a study conducted by the Nielsen Company show that 48 percent of US consumers are definitely or very probably willing to change their consumption habits in order to behave in a more environmentally friendly manner. In the case of consumers born after the turn of the millennium, as many as 75 percent say so. Consumers spend their dollars where they see their values preserved.
- In 2018, US consumers spent $128.5 billion on sustainable FMCG products.
- Sales of products with sustainable properties grew by 22 percent in 2018.
- While sales of conventional products declined by four percent between 2014 and 2017, the share of sustainable products rose by three percent over the same period.
- By 2021, forecasts predict that sustainable products will account for 25 percent of sales.
For packaging as the most important brand ambassador, this means that its recyclability will become a decisive factor. The sustainability of packaging is becoming the key, both at the classic POS and in e-commerce. Packaging your products sustainably is no longer a nice bonus. It is a central necessity.
