Most UK consumers want recyclable packaging on their produce – but few are willing to pay extra for it, a new survey has indicated.
The majority of UK consumers would like to see less plastic used on their fresh produce, but few are willing to pay extra for a recyclable alternative, a survey by England Marketing has revealed.
Unveiling the results of exclusive research commissioned for FPJ Live at the conference last week, England Marketing’s marketing manager Carolyn Hudson said that while there is an appetite for recyclable packaging in the UK, only 17 per cent of survey respondents said they would pay more for it, whereas 33 per cent said they definitely wouldn’t.
“Demand for sustainable packaging comes down to how much it will hit the consumer in the pocket,” Hudson told FPJ Live delegates. “We found that higher-income shoppers, those who shopped at Waitrose or Ocado, for example, were the ones who said they would definitely pay more for recyclable packaging, whereas lower-income shoppers baulked at the idea.
“This comes down to the fact that a lot of people are really struggling to buy food at the moment, so they felt that if they had to pay more, that would create an issue,” she said. “The more well-off people want to do the right thing, but the poorer demographic can’t afford to pay any more.”
Higher-income respondents said they would pay between 5p and 10p extra per pack for recyclable packaging, England Marketing’s managing director Jan England added.
However, she said that there was a lot of confusion among respondents about what biodegradable and recyclable packaging meant, and a fundamental lack of understanding about the role plastics plays in reducing food waste.
“It is a really complex picture. Retailers and our industry have to tell consumers the story about why packaging is being used; that it serves a purpose,” she said. “The plastic wrap on cucumbers, for example, reduces waste by 67 per cent.
“It’s a balancing act. There is a need to develop plastic packaging alternatives in a functional way. We don’t want to make gains on the sustainable material side, but make losses on the food waste side.”
Fresh produce suppliers and retailers should get this message across to consumers, England added.
Eric Duncan, head of food science at shelf-life extending packaging manufacturer Coveris, agreed: “We need to get the message across that packaging isn’t used gratuitously. That it is good for the shelf-life of some products; that it serves an important purpose in tackling food waste,” he said.
Duncan added, however, that recyclable plastic alternatives are being developed, and have already been implemented in the supply chain.
From the audience, Guy Singh-Watson, founder of Riverford, questioned whether there was any point in investing in recyclable plastic. “I think we can be more radical and invest in developing new fresh products that don’t need packaging,” he said. “On my farm, we grow cucumbers which don’t need any packaging, for example. Someone needs to challenge the accepted assumptions. Produce doesn’t need packaging, and consumers don’t need packaging for their convenience.”
