UK consumers show preference for paper-based packaging

Of the 2,289 people surveyed in a nationwide poll conducted by YouGov, 57 percent of respondents preferred their grocery and food packaging in paper-based material, while 31 percent expressed no preference and eight percent opted for plastic containers.

Support from consumers came from all cross-sections of society, according to the findings from YouGov. London scored the highest approval rating regionally with 62 percent in the capital favoring paper-based material for grocery packaging.

The CPI poll also asked, assuming that all other aspects of a product, such as price and quality, were equal, how likely would they be to buy a product from a retailer using paper-based containers compared to plastic containers. This saw 46 percent of respondents indicate that they were more likely or much more likely to purchase an item if the packaging was paper-based, compared to 47 percent who said it would make no difference, while just three percent were less likely.

CPI director of packaging affairs Andy Barnetson: ‘The findings of the YouGov poll indicate that paper and corrugated remain the most popular form of packaging for consumers in the UK. However, the corrugated industry must keep building on this significant public support by continuing to put the consumer at the center of everything it does.’

The YouGov poll further suggests that paper-based packaging materials have a positive influence on consumers’ purchasing decisions with 46 percent of respondents preferring to buy a product from a retailer using paper-based containers.