Some 26% of UK consumers would avoid a brand if products arrived in unnecessary packaging, finds new research by DS Smith.
As reported by Circular, the research found that 22% of consumers would also avoid a brand if wrapping was difficult to recycle or unrecyclable.
DS Smith e-commerce business unit lead Anne Curtis said: “The pandemic was a moment of truth for many e-commerce brands, as the trend of online shopping grew in parallel with increasingly sophisticated expectations for how shoppers receive their products.
“Now, sustainability is clearly top of their list of priorities. This means high-quality packaging that is either recyclable or reusable, while also reducing any unnecessary waste.
“At a time when consumers are keeping an eye on their spending and competition for customers is fierce, brands risk losing business if their packaging fails to meet online shoppers’ increased sustainability standards.”
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The data highlighted that around 80% of respondents prefer to receive a product in paper or cardboard wrapping, while 21% are willing to pay more to go plastic-free.
Around 70% also said they have a better view of a company’s sustainability commitments if they receive their product in paper or cardboard box rather than plastic.
The research also highlighted that a concern for consumers was packaging recyclability with 69% of respondents saying it as a priority and 25% saying they would consider paying more for easy-to-recycle packaging.
When asked which features were most important, 63% said packaging made from paper or cardboard material only and 58% said easy to collapse or flatten box.
Finally, around 75% of online shoppers said they would be happy to receive a new product in a previously used package, while 69% would reuse old packaging.
