Sustainability Slows Down in Packaging Industry: For the last five years, an annual study by Packaging Digest and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition has shown sustainability’s steady growth as a driver of change and innovation in the packaging sector. The latest study, released in October 2011, indicates this momentum might be slowing. A growing number of respondents (41%) say the emphasis on sustainability within their companies has stayed the same in the past year, compared to 31% a year ago, while 55% said the emphasis had grown within their company in 2011. Other findings include:
-
The number of respondents reporting high or moderate familiarity with the issues of sustainability dipped to 80% in 2011 versus 83% in the 2010 survey, but still well above the 52% at the same level of familiarity in 2007, the first year the survey was conducted.
-
When asked how they’d rate their company’s success in achieving sustainability, less than one-quarter of respondents say the business they work for had achieved levels beyond similar companies.
-
Economic conditions were cited as a major reason that some businesses have scaled back their activities in sustainable packaging.
-
Respondents tap Wal-Mart as the leader among retailers for its sustainability practices, followed by Target and Whole Foods Markets. Among consumer product goods companies, Procter & Gamble was most recognized for sustainability, followed by Coca-Cola and PepsiCo.
Source: Packaging Digest/Sustainable Packaging Coalition