As sustainability climbs higher on consumers’ priority lists, food and beverage brands face growing pressure to design packaging that’s not only recyclable but easy for shoppers to understand.
With nearly two-thirds of consumers saying they’d recycle more if they knew how – and 63% more likely to buy products made with recycled materials – packaging choices are becoming a critical driver of purchase intent and brand loyalty, according to WM.
For manufacturers and retailers, that means recyclability isn’t just an environmental goal, it’s a competitive advantage.
Recycling programs vary widely across the US but of the seven types of recyclable plastics, only three are commonly processed: PET (used in water and soda bottles and food containers), HDPE (found in milk jugs and detergent bottles), and the increasingly popular PP (used in yogurt cups, bottle caps and straws), according to the EPA.
Even within these top three, consumers report that despite wanting to recycle, convenience and access to facilities are a hurdle, according to a recent report from recycling provider WM Recycling.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents say they would recycle more if they knew which materials went where and 81% would recycle more if they knew the recycled material would be used to create new products, says Brent Bell, VP of recycling at WM.
Recyclable packaging that uses a single material like PET, HDPE, cardboard and aluminum are typically accepted in most recycling programs, and are the materials ones that Bell encourages brands to consider.
“We encourage brands to design packaging that is recycling friendly (meaning it is accepted in most programs) and ensure that packaging uses a single material – PET (water/soda bottles), HDPE (milk jugs/detergent bottles), cardboard and aluminum are great examples.
Improving sustainability conversation on pack
For brands and retailers, communicating recyclable packaging design could look like simple labels that educate consumers on how to recycle the material or offering in-store recycling programs, Bell said. More than half (63%) of respondents say they are more likely to buy products from CPG companies that use recycled materials, according to the report.
For retailers, capturing the uncertain audience could be the difference between offering recycling access points in stores and not.
Seventy-seven percent of respondents notice when a business provides recycling for customers and 48% say that a company’s sustainability goals “strongly influence” their purchase intent, according to the report.
“People are paying attention. Many notice recycling options in stores and say they’re more likely to support companies that use recycled materials in their products,” Bell explained.
Consumers’ emotional connection to recycling also is notable, Bell said. According to the report, nearly half (48%) of respondents recycle to make a difference and 31% are influenced by available services.
“Ultimately, recycling must be seamlessly woven into Americans’ daily lives, not an additional hassle that can quickly fall off a growing to-do list,” he added.
Nearly half (49%) believe that recycling should be a shared effort between consumer and business. Bell suggests brands and retailers partner with community organizations and venues, like schools and sporting events, to “help strengthen recycling efforts and raise awareness for its positive impacts.”
With 88% of respondents recycling as a way to protect the future of the environment, “connecting recycling to resource conservation in messaging can be a powerful motivator, Bell said.
“With limited natural resources and landfill capacity, recycling is more important than ever to preserve what we have and help valuable materials be reused again and again,” he added.
Sustainable packaging options continue to evolve
Connected packaging (aka digital packaging) provides a larger canvas beyond the limited real estate on a label for brands to communicate their sustainability initiatives.
Digital packaging usually uses a QR code or radio frequency identification (RFI) tag that creates a digital version of the physical packaging, often providing extended product information, brand stories and more.
One of the key drivers behind the use of connected packaging is legislation, according to connected packaging agency Appetite Creative. In the EU, for example, companies are required to have a digital product passport for a consumer to understand more detailed information, such as the product’s provenance and how to dispose of it.
While implementing recyclable or even compostable materials can be costly for brands, some leverage supplier relationships that also are investing sustainable in technology.
Beverage brand Waiākea uses 100% rPET bottles made from recovered ocean-bound plastic.
Although in its nascent scaling stage, German packaging manufacturer Papacks developed compostable bottles out of cellulose fibers, including the cap which is attached via a screw-thread closure for a zero-plastic container that can be recycled with paper.
Innovations in compostable packaging, like PHA-based (polyhydroxyalkanoates) films and compounds, emerge as commercially available solutions for CPG brands, particularly for flexible food packaging. Materials that blend PHA with other compostable bioplastics are shaping coffee and tea pods, which are tossed after a single use. Genecis Bioindustries’ CPG brand Mad Tea manufactures compostable Nespresso-compatible pods that can be industrially composted.
