One of the recent pan-European polls that was conducted by a packaging sustainability consultancy along with a range of global e-commerce brands sheds light on the packaging sector’s sustainability targets.
The study reveals that only 15% of e-commerce brands have access to all the necessary data needed so as to make informed decisions regarding packaging changes.
Around 46% of industry leaders believe that prioritising sustainability efforts can result in higher sales, ultimately leading to higher profitability for their organisations.
That said, some 15% of individuals express concern that the additional fees resulting from legislation like Extended Producer Responsibility- EPR could reduce any additional profits.
Moreover, a significant majority of packaging professionals, i.e., 85%, acknowledge that their businesses’ sustainability goals are taking longer to achieve than originally anticipated. Furthermore, a considerable portion of 38% opine that they currently lack adequate data in order to make informed and impactful decisions with regard to sustainability.
Greg Lawson, the managing director of the packaging sustainability consultancy that conducted the study, expressed concern about the e-commerce sector’s ability to accomplish its sustainability targets. He emphasised that the sector plays a crucial role in driving packaging progress and technology.
Investing in platforms that provide live, real-time information is crucial for various individuals and businesses. This allows them to gain a better understanding of their packaging sustainability demands right from the beginning and also during the product development stage.
According to the survey, it was found that approximately 31% of industry leaders are facing difficulties in educating consumers about packaging sustainability due to the fact that each brand and retailer has its own set of regulations and procedures for addressing this issue. Approximately 23% of individuals believe that education in this field is not limited to brands and retailers alone.
As per Lawson, one of the major challenges in achieving packaging sustainability happens to be consumer education. It is understandable why there is a lack of consistent rules, both from brands as well as governments, as there is very little direction which is in place. In order to truly establish a circular economy, it is essential for all to actively participate in the process of education and for there to be more uniformity across all efforts.
