Research reveals that 80% U.S. food shoppers agree that reducing food waste is as important as reducing packaging waste. According to Mintel’s 2016 US Food Packaging Report 52% of consumers indicate they would prefer to buy foods with minimal or even no packaging to reduce waste.
81% of consumers say they would choose resealable packaging over non-resealable packaging to extend the shelf life of food. 54% would pay more for packaging with added features, such as being resealable or portion controlled. 30% indicated they often reuse food packaging for other purposes. However, recycling of food packaging is far from a universal behavior, as only 42% consumers report recycling most of the food packaging they use.
A lack of clear communication on labels may be a contributor to the relatively low recycling rate, 25% of consumers said it’s not always clear which food packaging is recyclable. Only 13% of consumers make an effort to avoid foods in packaging that cannot be recycled.
“Our research shows that reducing food waste is top of mind for consumers,” says John Owen, senior food and drink analyst at Mintel. “This presents opportunities for food brands and retailers to address these concerns through innovative packaging and product messaging.”
However, in 2015, only 21% of food product launches in the U.S. included on package claims regarding environmentally friendly packaging.
“The prevention of food waste can be positioned not only as a good way for consumers to save money, but also as a way to work toward reversing the growing food waste trend through conscious consumption,” says Owen.
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http://www.packagingdigest.com/food-packaging/responsible-food-packaging-could-connect-consumers-to-the-environment-2016-09-01
Source: Packaging Digest
