The findings of a new survey from show that sustainable and recyclable packaging has become a top priority for UK online shoppers, says DS Smith, the packaging company that conducted the research. It noted that brands failing to fully apprehend just how front of mind this is for consumers in the UK run the risk of losing out, as most consumers associate packaging with a brand’s wider sustainability efforts.
The survey was conducted in January 2023, among 500 UK internet users aged 16+ who shopped for physical products online at least every three months.
Among others, the results revealed that 4 in 5 respondents would prefer to receive a product in paper or cardboard packaging, while 1 in 5 (21%) indicated they would be willing to pay more to go plastic free. 1 in 4 (26%) online shoppers would stop ordering from a company if they experienced too much unnecessary packaging, and over a fifth (22%) would do the same if the packaging was not recyclable or difficult to recycle.
Over two-thirds (68%) said they have a more positive perception of a company’s sustainability commitments if they received their product in paper or cardboard packaging rather than plastic.
Another noteworthy finding was the importance consumers attach to packaging recyclability, with 7 in 10 (69%) citing this as a priority. Another 1 in 4 (25%) would consider paying more for packaging that was easy to recycle. When asked which features were most important, packaging being made out of paper/cardboard material only (63%) and easy to collapse or flatten (58%) came out on top.
Over two-fifths (45%) of online shoppers responding to the survey also displayed a considerable aversion to overpackaging, stating a clear preference for minimal packaging. As well, 3 in 4 (75%) online shoppers would be happy to receive a new product in a previously used package, while 7 in 10 (69%) would reuse old packaging for something else.
For consumers, sustainability is clearly top of their list of priorities, according to Anne Curtis, e-commerce business unit lead for UK packaging at DS Smith. “This means high-quality packaging that is either recyclable or reusable, while also reducing any unnecessary waste,” she said.
“At a time when consumers are keeping an eye on their spending and competition for customers is fierce, brands risk losing business if their packaging fails to meet online shoppers’ increased sustainability standards.”I
In short, the findings of this research clearly demonstrate that brands neglect the importance of packaging at their peril: their failure to adjust to the demands of today's customers can lead to a decrease in repeat business and tarnish their image. After all, for e-commerce brands packaging is a customer's first interaction with their purchase, and first impressions are powerful.
Annoyances unrelated to sustainability also emerged from the survey, with respondents citing issues such as damaged packaging, receiving damaged products, and frustration with the returns process. 1 in 3 (32%) experienced damaged packaging in the last year, and 3 in 5 (58%) people said they would stop ordering from a company if they received a damaged product repeatedly.