The 'Attenborough effect': More consumers ready to ditch single-use plastic

New research shows that more than half of consumers have reduced the amount of single-use plastic they are using in the last 12 months, and young people are more willing to opt for pricier alternatives.

The study by GlobalWebIndex questioned 3,833 consumers in the UK and US about sustainable packaging.

In the UK, more than 80 per cent of respondents who said they valued sustainable packaging were concerned about the future of the environment.

However, there was a generational gap around the affordability of plastic-free products.

While 83 per cent of 55-64s thought affordability was important, only 63 per cent of 16-24 year olds saw it as a barrier, a difference of 20 percentage points.

Chase Buckle, Trends Manager at GlobalWebIndex said: “It may come as a shock to some that the younger consumers are more considerate about sustainable materials than older generations. What is important to note, is that the younger generations grew up during the height of the sustainability crisis with high-profile, environmentalist documentaries widely available on the content platforms they prefer over conventional TV.”

Citing David Attenborough’s Blue Planet II and Netflix’s Our Planet as key influencers to consumer trends on social media, Buckle added that: “There is an opportunity for brands to capitalise on consumer perceptions surrounding sustainable packaging of products. Managing these different pressures is no small hurdle for manufacturers and brands to overcome. Sustainability isn’t just another buzzword. Consumers genuinely care, and they’re expecting more from brands than ever before thanks to social media reinforcing a culture of accountability among businesses.”