HUHTAMÄKI OYJ PRESS RELEASE 30.5.2024 AT 09:30 EEST
Over 80 per cent of Finnish consumers think that they recycle enough, and 40 per
cent also say they would be willing to pay extra for sustainable packaging.
A survey commissioned by Huhtamaki reveals that most Finns are satisfied with
their own recycling habits, and say that they recycle the most common packaging
materials. More than 80 per cent of those across all age groups say that they
recycle paper-based packaging, and as many as nine out of ten recycle cardboard
boxes.
"More than 80 per cent of respondents feel that they recycle enough or nearly
enough.?The independent survey found that women are more enthusiastic recyclers
than men, but somewhat surprisingly, people aged over 65 have a more positive
attitude towards recycling than young people. Traditionally, young people are
assumed to be the forerunners in this area," says Salla Ahonen, Executive Vice
President, Sustainability and Communications at Huhtamaki.
Consumers consider sustainable packaging to be important. More than one in three
respondents said they would be willing to pay a little bit extra for more
sustainable packaging, and eight per cent would be willing to pay significantly
more for a product that was packaged sustainably. Older respondents also stood
out regarding price and would be more willing than younger respondents to pay
extra for sustainable packaging, which could be attributed to higher disposable
income.
"40 per cent of consumers surveyed, responded favourably saying they are willing
to pay more for sustainable produced or sourced goods . It's significant that
Finns still consider product sustainability to be important in an era when
households are under increased economic pressure," Ahonen says.
Fiber-based packaging is a consumer favourite - effort required to increase
awareness
The evolving landscape of heightened consumer expectations and regulatory
changes are shaping the future of packaging solutions.
When asked about packaging materials for food, beverages and household goods,
67 per cent of those surveyed wanted to see fiber-based, paper-based or
cardboard-based materials being used in packaging. Women and the over-50s in
particular advocated the use of fiber-based materials in packaging. One in two
also wanted to increase the use of recyclable plastic.
"In the survey, respondents shared that they are likely to recycle the packaging
used for both takeouts and home deliveries. However, more transparency,
information and clear instructions are still required with respect to recycling
messaging when eating out. For example, consumers want to know how recycling
works in restaurants and are interested to understand more about the
environmental impact of different types of food service packaging. This survey
shows that everyone in our sector must keep working together to create
functional recycling systems that are as comprehensive as possible and provide
easy-to-understand guidelines and messaging for consumers," says Ahonen.
Huhtamaki commissioned Aula Research to conduct independent and an anonymous
digital survey during the period 5-13 March 2024. There were a total of 1,483
respondents, and the target groups were over-18s living in mainland Finland.
For further information, please contact:
Maria Tomminen, Senior Manager, Media Relations, tel. +358 (10) 686 7000
HUHTAMÄKI OYJ
About Huhtamaki
Huhtamaki is a leading global provider of sustainable packaging solutions for
consumers around the world. Our innovative products protect on-the-go and on-
the-shelf food and beverages, and personal care products, ensuring hygiene and
safety, driving accessibility and affordability, and helping prevent food waste.
We embed sustainability in everything we do. We are committed to achieving
carbon neutral production and designing all our products to be recyclable,
compostable or reusable by 2030. Our blueloopTM sustainable packaging solutions
are world-leading and designed for circularity.
We are a participant in the UN Global Compact, Huhtamaki is rated 'A' on the
MSCI ESG Ratings assessment and EcoVadis has awarded Huhtamaki with the Gold
medal for performance in sustainability. To play our part in managing climate
change, we have set science-based targets that have been approved and validated
by the Science-Based Targets initiative.
With 100 years of history and a strong Nordic heritage we operate in 37
countries and 107 operating locations around the world. Our values Care Dare
Deliver guide our decisions and help our team of around 18 000 employees make a
difference where it matters. Our 2023 net sales totalled EUR 4.2 billion.
Huhtamaki Group is headquartered in Espoo, Finland and our parent company,
Huhtamäki Oyj, is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. Find out more about how we are
protecting food, people and the planet at www.huhtamaki.com.
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