Sustainable Packaging During COVID-19

While most industries have taken a hit during COVID-19, the performance of the packaging industry has been quite robust. E-commerce has seen a boom as has online shopping. Demand for medical packaging has surged and single-use, disposable food packaging has made a comeback – perceived as a safer and a more hygienic option.

Has sustainable packaging taken a hit due to the pandemic?

35% have changed their sustainability habits
Surprisingly, the eco-consciousness of the general consumer has held up. In a survey of 40,000 consumers across 23 countries, 35 per cent of the people have changed their sustainability habits, since the end of May 2020, for the better.²²
80% believe manufacturers should be more involved in recycling/reuse
80% are of the view that packaging manufacturers should be involved with recycling and reuse of the product they produce.
57% likely to avoid products with lots of packaging
In order to compensate for additional packaging used this year, in the coming year 57% are likely to avoid products that use a lot of packaging material.