DS Smith Survey: Pandemic Triggers Embrace of Recycling, Sustainable Packaging but There’s More Work to Be Done
18 Octubre 2021 - 7:03AM
Business Wire
Many consumers want more sustainable boxes, easier access to
recycling
A pandemic-induced surge in e-commerce has left shoppers with
more boxes than ever before, triggering a rush by consumers to
embrace recycling and raising the demand for sustainable packaging.
But while there’s more interest in sustainability – especially
among millennials – many buyers say they’re frustrated by the
amount of unrecyclable material showing up and the lack of easy
access to local recycling sites.
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Pandemic triggers embrace of recycling,
sustainable packaging but there's more work to be done (Graphic: DS
Smith)
Those are among the major findings of a national survey by DS
Smith, a leading paper and packaging company that focuses on
creating innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.
A previous DS Smith survey shows 44% of respondents report
getting more deliveries during the COVID-19 pandemic. The latest
results validate DS Smith’s work in producing more sustainable
products for its business customers. An overwhelming 83% of
consumers surveyed say the packages they receive aren’t fully
recyclable because they contain other materials like plastic or
Styrofoam. Only 17% report getting all-recyclable packages.
The survey, taken last month, revealed dramatic home and
lifestyle changes, with 30- to 39-year-olds having the largest jump
in recycling habits due to the pandemic. More than a quarter (26%)
say they’re recycling more, followed by those age 18 to 29 doing
more at 21%.
“DS Smith provides sustainable packaging for its customers with
the goal of leading the transition to the circular economy,” said
Mark Ushpol, managing director of packaging at DS Smith. “Recycling
is an important piece of that process, and with the rapid growth of
e-commerce putting more boxes into homes than ever before, it’s
encouraging to see this shift in consumer behavior toward recycling
more.”
DS Smith is working to combat the deluge of unrecyclable
packaging plaguing consumers by using its Circular Design
Principles, developed and launched last year alongside the Ellen
MacArthur Foundation, to eliminate waste from its packaging in the
early design stages.
These results also come after DS Smith’s recent announcement
that it has embedded its pioneering Circular Design Metrics across
all its packaging sites. In an industry first, DS Smith can now
measure and quantify the sustainability performance of each of its
packaging designs across eight key indicators: carbon footprint,
design for reuse, supply chain optimization, recyclability, planet
safety, material utilization, renewable source and recycled
content.
In an important, pro-environment signal, nearly half (48%) of
respondents would describe the recycling in their local community
as highly accessible, with recycling being picked up from their
house.
But there’s still work to be done, with 35% reporting they have
to take their recycling to a specified location. And 17% say they
don’t have any access to recycling in their community.
That’s especially common in rural areas, with 74% of respondents
there saying they either have to take their recycling to a specific
location (46%) or have no access to recycling in their communities
(28%).
In a positive, pro-environment signal:
- Almost two thirds (61%) of respondents say they don’t face any
barriers to recycling.
- Baby Boomers are the most likely to recycle, with 74% of those
surveyed saying they always recycle.
- By type of residence area, those in suburban areas are most
likely to recycle at 64%.
- Nearly three quarters (73%) say they are comfortable making
decisions on purchasing sustainable products.
To combat consumer concerns over recycling, DS Smith continues
to create packaging with sustainability in mind, designing out
waste and advocating for the reuse of materials to support the
circular economy.
The Circular Economy is at the heart of DS Smith’s Now and Next
strategy, focusing on closing the loop through better design,
protecting natural resources by making the most of every fiber
through circular solutions and equipping people to lead the
transition to a circular economy.
By 2023, DS Smith will manufacture 100% reusable or recyclable
packaging and its aim is that by 2030, all its packaging will be
recycled or reused.
Methodology
The survey of 1,000 U.S. adults, conducted online Sept. 24-27,
has a margin of error of plus or minus 3.1 percentage points.
About DS Smith
DS Smith is a leading provider of sustainable, fiber-based
packaging worldwide, supported by recycling and papermaking
operations. It plays a central role in the value chain across
sectors including e-commerce, fast moving consumer goods and
industrials. Through its purpose of ‘Redefining Packaging for a
Changing World’ and its Now and Next sustainability strategy, DS
Smith is committed to leading the transition to the circular
economy, while delivering more circular solutions for its customers
and wider society – replacing problem plastics, taking carbon out
of supply chains and providing innovative recycling solutions. Its
bespoke box-to-box in 14 days model, design capabilities and
innovation strategy sits at the heart of this response. A Strategic
Partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation, North American
operations are headquartered in Atlanta, with 15 manufacturing,
paper and recycling facilities, totaling more than 2,000
employees.
DS Smith operates in 34 countries employing around 30,000 people
and is a Strategic Partner of the Ellen MacArthur Foundation.
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version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20211018005117/en/
Mindy Myrick, Head of Corporate Affairs mindy.myrick@dssmith.com
/ +1 410-251-9570
Caroline Curran, Hill+Knowlton Strategies
caroline.curran@hkstrategies.com / +1 256-653-5811
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