A recent survey conducted by OnePoll on behalf of DS Smith found that almost a third of British shoppers (30%) are frustrated by the excessive use of plastic packaging, particularly for fruits and vegetables.
This sentiment is echoed by 25% of respondents who have opted not to purchase items due to excessive wrapping.
Other major packaging gripes include difficulty opening products (30%), non-recyclable packaging (15%) and unnecessary layers of wrapping (44%).
More than a quarter of respondents (28%) find it irritating when products are non-recyclable.
The survey also highlighted a growing demand for sustainable packaging solutions.
More than a third of shoppers (37%) are concerned about excessive plastic use and prioritise it over other factors when making supermarket purchases. 24% of consumers are willing to pay up to 33p more for an item with environmentally friendly packaging.
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By GlobalData
A DS Smith spokesperson stated: “Packaging is there to look after what’s inside. No-one wants to be left thwarted, unable to get at it. And clearly some of the wider gripes crop up when it feels like there is excessive plastic in play, and if packaging doesn’t appear to be readily recyclable.
“Those are all things that can often be remedied – waste can be designed out from the start, and paper-based materials can be much more readily recyclable.”
DS Smith has already made significant progress in reducing plastic packaging.
The company has surpassed its goal of replacing more than 1.2bn plastic items 16 months ahead of schedule. This achievement has led to the replacement of everyday plastic items from supermarket shelves, such as fruit and vegetable punnets, plastic carriers and shrink-wrap.
“A lot has changed in the last few years and there is a lot less plastic in supermarkets these days. Evidently there is still plenty of opportunity for brands to keep finding ways to reduce and replace plastic,” said the spokesperson.
