Magazine: We want to use less plastic

Guest writer:
Balázs Kovács
communications and marketing manager
Ipsos

Plastic Free July is a worldwide initiative that is getting more popular year after year: its goal is to turn this month into a plastic-free one, when consumers don’t buy plastic products or products in plastic packaging – or at least they purchase less of these, substituting them with greener alternatives if possible. In a related survey Ipsos has found that the Earth’s population would be willing to do more to fight climate change.

Waste management is especially important for Hungarians

The world’s population believes that waste management is one of the most important problems at the moment. Ipsos’ Clean, Green and Affordable study has revealed that 37% of consumers reckon global warming is the most important environmental issue; 33% named air pollution and 32% cast their vote on waste generation as the biggest threats. Hungarians are more concerned about the latter than the global average, as almost every second Hungarian mentioned waste management as a key problem to solve for humanity. Ipsos’ Plastic Free July 2022 survey asked nearly 24,000 consumers, and 58% said they want to stop using too much packaging (and get rid of products sold this way), and 51% claimed their main goal is selective waste collection. 81% of Hungarians made it clear that they want to see brands use less plastic.

Manufacturers are facing great expectations

However, consumer intention alone isn’t enough. On a global scale 80% of people would like to see product manufacturers being obliged to recycle and reuse the packaging of their products. According to Plastic Free July 2022, three quarters of global consumers – and also of Hungarians – agree with the ban on single-use plastics. Ipsos’ The Challenge of Plastic Packaging Waste makes recommendations to brands about the strategy to be followed, such as differentiating themselves from competitors by making sustainability pledges, using a simpler language when talking about environmental issues, and communicating the consumer benefits of green actions. //