Tetra Pak report on consumer insights.

How growing environmental consciousness drives consumer purchasing decisions around the world.

Topics explored in relation to consumers’ views of packaging and sustainability:

– Attitudes and behaviours in relation to the environment

– Expectations for sustainable packaging

– Attractive product and packaging attributes in relation to sustainability

– Understanding and perceptions about key sustainability terms and expressions associated with the area

– The most efficient media and messages to engage consumers on environmental topics

About this research

Carried out across many countries in Europe and Central Asia over several months in 2019, this research examines consumer trends and attitudes around the environment and sustainability within the food and beverage industry, with a particular focus on the environmental performance of food and beverage packaging. The results included within reflect data collected from respondents in Belgium.

Geography and audience

8,000 CONSUMERSAge 18 – 65500 interviews per countryOnline (quantitative)

15 MARKETS

Spain

Portugal

Greece

Romania

Ukraine

Belarus

Austria

Poland

Hungary

Croatia

Slovakia

Ireland

Sweden

Denmark

Netherlands

Belgium

The test group included 8,000 consumers aged 18–65 from 16 markets (approximately 500 per market) to create a picture of consumer attitudes to packaging and sustainability. Respondents completed an online quantitative survey.

Consumers are more concerned about environmental issues and more interested in environmentally sound packaging. They are more proactive and more conscious in the decisions they take – but their expectations are high. Today, 74% of Belgian consumers see the importance of environmentally sound packaging.

Consumers expect information and action from the packaging industry.There’s growing interest in environmental information, with TV/radio as the principal medium alongside newsletters/magazines, on-pack communication and social networks. Consumers want government and industry to act and take responsibility for solving environmental problems, but they also see themselves as source of solutions.

Packaging with environmental features positively impacts brand consideration. 77% of Belgian consumers are more likely to consider a brand whose packaging has good environmental credentials. For manufacturers and producers, it illustrates how packaging can both complement their brands’ environmental credentials as well as drive sales.

Recyclability is important and impact to climate change is attracting more interest. Increasingly taken for granted, recyclability is a key association with environmentally sound products. Consumers are beginning to become annoyed if it’s not an option. Use of plant-based material instead of plastic is also attracting significant interest.

Executive summary

Four clear themes emerged from this research. They confirm that consumer concern and expectations around environmental issues are on the rise – and show further evidence of the commercial opportunity for brands that act on sustainability.

5

We asked consumers in Belgium to what extent they felt the focus on environmental issues such as climate change and pollution would increase over the coming five years.

A total of 74% of respondents saw environmental issues growing in prominence either ‘a lot’ or ‘somewhat’. Today, consumers who think the focus on environment will not change in the future, or will decline, are in the minority.

Consumers are increasingly concerned about the environment

How much do you think the focus on environmental issues (e.g. climate change, environmental pollution) will increase/decrease in the coming five years?

Of consumers believe that the focus on environmental issues will increase in the coming five years

2019

Total %

45 2229 4

2 1

*Top 2 boxes (Increase a lot + Increase somewhat)Base: Consumers 2019 – Belgium (n=500)

Increase a lot Increase somewhat No change Decrease somewhat Decrease a lot

74+26+G74%

Who is responsible for solving our environmental problems? We wanted to know who Belgian consumers felt should take action to provide improvements and solutions.

Consumers sent a clear message about who should lead the action in relation to environmental issues. The government is by far seen as the responsible party by 69% of respondents, while packaging companies and food and beverage companies were chosen by 44% and 38% of respondents, respectively. The Belgians also believe that consumers at large (for 36% of them) also have a responsibility in the matter, while retailers, local municipalities and NGOs elicited relatively fewer mentions.

Government, consumers and companies are expected to lead

Thinking about environmental issues, who should take the lead in finding improvements or solutions?

Base: Consumers 2019 - Belgium (n=500)

14

12

15

25

38

69

Total mentions – % Values

THE GOVERNMENT

FOOD & BEVERAGE COMPANIES

MYSELF

LOCAL MUNICIPALITIES

NGOS

RETAILERS

44PACKAGING COMPANIES

36CONSUMERS

The importance of environmentally sound packaging

We wanted to know what importance the Belgian consumers place on environmentally sound packaging.

A total of 74% of respondents believe this is either extremely important or very important, with only a minority believing this does not carry any importance.

Thinking about liquid food & beverage products in the coming 5 years, please indicate how important it will be for the packaging to have a low environmental impact.

*Top 2 boxes (Extremely important + Quite important)Base: Consumers 2019 – Belgium (n=500)

2019

Total %

Extremely important Quite important Neither important, nor unimportant

Not that important Not important at all

74% of consumers believe that environmentally sound packaging is important 74+26+G74%

49 1925 4 3

There’s a thirst for knowledge – and radio/TV, newsletters/magazines and on-pack are the media of choice

Where do people like to get their information today and what are they interested in? We asked consumers about their media preferences and the topics they had seen or had been following in relation to the environment.

The preferred channel in Belgium for getting information about environmental developments is TV/Radio for most respondents (70%), followed newsletters/magazines (52%) and food & beverage packaging (37%). Social media comes 4th, chosen by 35% of respondents.

As for environmental topics, our research uncovered that Belgian consumers are mostly interested in recyclability, biodegradable materials and use of plant-based materials instead of plastic, chosen by 42% and 33% of respondents, respectively. Use of recycled materials and renewability are also high on the agenda, for 31% and 28%, respectively, of people interviewed.

TV

20WATER FOOTPRINT REDUCTION

28RENEWABILITY

11

11COMPANY WEBSITES

INFLUENCERS OR EXPERTS

16POSTERS / BILLBOARDS

21AT SUPERMARKETS / IN STORES

Preferred channel to get Environmental info about packaging

Base: Consumers 2019 - Belgium (n=500)

5

16

35

37

52

70TV/RADIO

ON FOOD OR BEVERAGE PACKAGING

ONLINE NEWS / BLOGS

I DO NOT GET INFORMATION ABOUT ENVIRONMENTAL NEWS AND DEVELOPMENTS

Through which channels do you usually get your information about environmental news and developments?

Topics to read/learn more about

27

31

33

33

42RECYCLABILITY

USE OF BIO-DEGRADABLE MATERIALS

USE OF RECYCLED MATERIALS

CARBON FOOTPRINT REDUCTION / CO2 REDUCTION / CLIMATE IMPACT

Thinking about liquid food & beverage packages, which of the following topics would you like to read/ learn more about?

There’s a thirst for knowledge – and radio/TV, newsletters/magazines and on-pack are the media of choice

NEWSPAPERS/MAGAZINES

SOCIAL NETWORKS

USE OF PLANT-BASED MATERIAL INSTEAD OF PLASTIC

15E-NEWSLETTERS / E-MAIL

23RESPONSIBLE FOREST MANAGEMENT

5PRODUCTS REDUCING FOOD WASTE

6PRODUCTS IN PACKAGES MADE FROM RENEWABLE RESOURCES

7PRODUCTS IN PACKAGES MADE FROM RECYCLED MATERIALS

9PRODUCTS GROWN WITHOUT PESTICIDES

12PRODUCTS WITH MINIMUM PACKAGING

13PRODUCTS IN BIODEGRADABLE PACKAGING

16PRODUCTS IN RECYCLABLE PACKAGES

Biodegradable and recyclable are front of mind

We asked consumers what comes first to mind when they think about liquid food & beverage products with reduced environmental impact.

Top of the list were products in recyclable packages for 16% of Belgian consumers, followed by locally manufactured products, for 14% of respondents. Products with minimum packaging were also chosen by 12% of the interviewed.

When you think about liquid food & beverage products with reduced environmental impact, which is the first thing that comes to your mind?

Definition of environmentally sound products – % Values

Base: Consumers 2019 - Belgium (n=500)

3

3PRODUCTS WITH LOW CARBON EMISSIONS FROM TRANSPORT

GMO-FREE PRODUCTS (GMO = GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS)

14LOCALLY MANUFACTURED PRODUCTS

8ORGANIC PRODUCTS

3PRODUCTS WITH LOW CARBON EMISSIONS FROM PRODUCTION

How does environmentally sound packaging affect brand consideration? 29% of Belgian consumers are much more likely to consider a brand whose packaging has good environmental credentials. And with 48% of consumers a ‘little more likely’ to consider brands in environmentally sound packaging, this is now a positive motivation for an overwhelming majority of consumers. For manufacturers and producers, it illustrates how packaging can both complement their brands’ environmental credentials as well as drive sales.

Environmentally sound packaging makes brands more attractive

If you were about to choose a food/beverage brand, how would environmentally sound packaging affect your consideration of the brand?

ENVIRONMENTALLY SOUND PACKAGING…

29%

48%

19%4%

…makes me much more likely to consider the brand

…makes me a little more likely to consider the brand

…puts me off considering the brand

…makes no difference

Base: Consumers 2019 – Belgium (n=500)

Finally, we presented consumers with potential food and beverage packaging innovations and asked which were the most relevant or met their needs the most. Three areas stood out as most relevant. Innovations related to reducing climate impact and plant-based materials, as well as certifications and labelling associated with responsible sourcing and production were the most frequently chosen. These results suggest that consumers are inspired by products that can make a positive environmental impact on a global scale and that use responsibly sourced renewable materials.

Plant-based materials, climate impact and responsible sourcing inspire consumer interest

SURVEY QUESTION ASKED: Now we are going to show you potential innovations to food and beverage CARTON packaging. Please select all those innovations that would be more relevant for you, and meet your needs the most. Think about innovations that you would want to be applied to the food and beverage carton packages you consider purchasing in the future.

Top three package innovations cited by consumers

Innovation related to plant-based

materials/renewability

32% 23% 32%Innovation related to

materials that are certified and labelled as responsibly

sourced and produced

Innovation related to reduced impact on climate change

32+68+G 23+77+G 32+68+GBase: Consumers 2019 – Belgium (n=500)

Turning insights into action

Drive new business opportunities. The research points to a strong opportunity for companies to develop and sell more environmentally responsible products. It’s clear that consumers want them.

Connect with consumers. There’s a thirst for information about environmental subjects. Companies have an opportunity to use TV, Radio, Social Media and on-pack messaging to build consumer relationships and reinforce their reputations.

Support the business case for sustainability. For companies struggling to get traction for sustainability strategies and practices, this study proves that they make good commercial sense and go way beyond ‘greenwash’, Corporate Social Responsibility and compliance.

Build partnerships. This study is further proof that environmental performance depends on companies, local authorities and consumers all working together – and there’s mutual benefit for each party.

Here are four ways in which these findings can benefit food & beverage producers:

Read more: http://tetrapak.com/be/sustainability/sustainable-offering