Top 5 reasons why businesses are switching to eco-friendly packaging now
Remember when the UK placed strict regulations on the public use of plastic straws, drink stirrers, and cotton buds in 2019? Or when the 5p charge on single-use bags was introduced to encourage consumers to carry reusable bags?
Well…the revolution of sustainable and eco-friendly alternatives does not end there. In fact, more and more business owners are evaluating their business models and are looking for ways to reduce their environmental footprint. As a result, we are witnessing the growing popularity of eco-friendly alternatives to traditional packaging.
Is this all a trend to lure in eco-conscious customers? Or does it follow legal government requirements?
Here we list 5 reasons why a sudden shift was seen in place for sustainable packaging in the past few years and why your business should switch to eco-packaging.
- It minimizes the pollution to the environment
According to the report made by MPA: Around five million tonnes of plastic is sent to UK landfill sites each year, and two thirds (67%) of this is business packaging. Landfill pollutes the air and can be extremely detrimental to local ecosystems.
By using eco-friendly packaging such as boxes and mailers, which are made from recycled or renewable materials, it ensures that your business does minimal pollution to the environment.
2. Plastic packaging is risking your consumer’s health
Relating to the first point, plastic packaging is not only harmful to the environment but also your consumer’s health.
A little science lesson for you: Greentumble.com pointed out that BPA or Bisphenol A (popularly found in water bottles ) is a chemical that can mimic a hormone or block a receptor or do any number of things to disrupt the proper functioning of any of the endocrine glands.
To learn about this in detail, check out their detailed article here.
The good news is, the EU has taken steps to ban the use of BPA in baby bottles and some EU member states have taken restrictions further. Is your business willing to carry out the same changes?
3. The government is backing sustainability
According to research by the EU: About 150,000 tonnes of plastic are tossed into European waters every year. This statistic led to the regulation of banning single-use plastics across Europe wherever possible.
In the UK, the government has invested over £60 million to ensure that big and small businesses are taking steps towards innovative and environmentally friendly packaging.
In other words, recycling in the UK is getting better and government regulations on sustainability are likely to become stricter.
It is only a matter of time until most businesses will be forced to adapt to these sustainable changes- making it a more competitive and expensive industry, not to mention additional time for businesses to recalculate running costs and change business models.
4. Conscious consumerism makes the switch cost-effective
We all know business owners are hesitant about switching their existing packaging materials, especially if their brand is known for their unique packaging.
However, more and more shoppers now prefer to buy products and packaging made in an environmentally friendly way.
According to PackagingNews.co.uk: “Packaging used to be ‘just’ about functionality, desirability, stand-out and communication. Now ‘doing the right thing’ has become a priority for many shoppers weighing up which product to purchase.”
Cardboard, for example, is a cheap alternative and is admired by many because of its ability to hold an incredible amount of weight, highly resistant to damage meaning it keeps products safe throughout the shipping process.
5. The consumers demand it
According to a report by Shoppercentric.com, 80% of UK shoppers describe themselves as environmentally friendly, with 59% particularly avoiding single-use packaging.
Unsurprisingly, the age group that demands this switch the most is the millennials and Gen-Zs.
According to research from WGSN, Gen-Zers particularly favour brands with corporate social responsibility. Topics like environmental responsibility, transparency, and sustainability are important factors that they consider before making a purchase.
The best way for your business to achieve this is through sustainable packaging.
What does Corporate Social Responsibility mean?
Businesses with high CSR or Corporate Social Responsibilities are conscious of the kind of impact they are having on all aspects of society, including economic, social, and environmental. Meaning, their operations are enhanced in a way that does not only care about profit, which is also helpful to raise morale in the workplace.
What are examples of your business’s sustainable habits? Like Comment Share below
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