Younger Consumers Choose Sustainable Packaging, Study Finds

This compares to 33% of respondents aged 35 and older, and 25% of those aged 55 or older.

The 2024 Sustainability and Convenience in Packaging Survey, conducted for ALPLA in association with Pollfish, sought to determine whether a generation gap is evident when it comes to adoption of sustainable and eco-friendly packaging.

Close to half of the young people surveyed said that it was either ‘always’ or ‘often’ a ‘deal-breaker’ if a product did not have sustainable packaging, while more than two thirds (68%) said that they had a ‘high’ or ‘moderate’ willingness to change their habits when it comes to sustainable packaging.

More than a third (34%) said that they choose sustainable packaging even if it is less convenient – i.e. harder to open or not resealable, while a large majority (79%) said that they would be willing to pay more for eco-friendly packaging. This compares to 56% of consumers 35 and older, and 41% of consumers 55 and older.

Elsewhere, more than half (53%) of respondents said that their social circles play a role in their sustainable shopping routines, with eco-conscious shopping choices ‘greatly’ or ‘moderately’ influenced by choices made by friends and family.

This compares to 29% that answered likewise among older generations.

ESM