Latest research by Veolia reveals that 80 per cent of Australians say the composition of a product’s packaging impacts their purchasing behaviours.
Consumers say they favour items that are recyclable and that they are prepared to pay more for those products, if it means they do not end up in landfills.
The national YouGov survey, commissioned by Veolia, gave some insights to consumer purchasing behaviours and their expectations of manufacturers when it comes to end-of-life solutions for packaging products.
The statistics show: 80 per cent of Australians say the composition of packaging impacts their purchasing behaviours; more than half of the population (62 per cent) say they would be willing to pay more for everyday consumables if it meant the packaging did not end up in landfill; 89 per cent of people think manufacturers should be required to use product packaging that is recyclable.
Richard Kirkman, Veolia’s Chief Executive Officer, said the results endorse the call for a ‘pay as you buy’ strategy where those buying recyclable packaging pay less, putting the power back in consumer hands.
“More than half of the population (64 per cent) say knowing what and how to recycle is confusing, so it’s not surprising they want all packaging to be recyclable – especially at a time when we have to dispose of more packaging than normal,” he said.
Kirkman has long advocated for a ‘pay as you buy’ system which asks the entire packaging supply chain to pivot in response to consumer appetite and the environmental agenda.
He said that similar to the approach taken for Australia’s container deposit scheme, the cost of ensuring items can be recycled and recovered is to work together to change the status quo.
“We all need to act. Manufacturers need to make products that are recyclable, retailers need to label them consistently, local authorities need to harmonise collections, and the waste sector needs to invest in recycling infrastructure,” Kirkman said.
“We know that getting recycling right is integral to reducing the amount of waste that unnecessarily goes to landfill and in reaching the federal government’s emissions reduction targets, improving our environment and reducing the cost of living.
“With these recent survey results, we know that consumers support bold policies that keep up with Australia’s rate of consumption and help to accelerate the path to ecological transformation.”
The online survey, conducted between 2 and 7 November, canvassed more than 1000 adults.
For more information, visit: www.veolia.com
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