A McKinsey report revealed US consumers prioritize price and convenience over sustainability, expecting corporations to handle eco-friendly packaging.
Nearly 70% of surveyed consumers believe brand owners are responsible for sustainability, while only 10% accept personal responsibility.
Recyclability is the primary sustainability measure for consumers, with PET plastic rated poorly compared to glass and metal.
A new McKinsey report reveals that while US consumers like the idea of sustainability, they prioritize price and convenience and firmly believe the burden of eco-friendly packaging rests on corporations, not themselves.
Passing the buck: In a survey of 1,000 US consumers, nearly 70% said brand owners and packaging producers are responsible for sustainability, while a meager 10% accepted personal responsibility. In a telling detail, fewer than one in ten could even name a single packaging company, suggesting consumers want brands to solve the problem without requiring any effort or awareness on their part.
Cost over conscience: Environmental impact barely registers in purchasing decisions, with about one-third of shoppers calling it important, compared to over 70% for price and quality. The top packaging concerns weren’t eco-friendliness but fundamentals like food safety (over 80%) and shelf life (75%), showing that practical benefits far outweigh green credentials in the mind of the average shopper.
A tale of two bins: For the minority who do weigh sustainability, the definition is simple: recyclability. This perception means PET plastic gets a failing grade from consumers, who rank it far below glass and metal. The report attributes this gap to the abysmally low one-third bottle collection rate in the US compared to nearly 90% in countries like Germany, signaling that what people see in their local bins shapes their opinion more than any corporate messaging about a circular economy.
The bottom line: The report shows a clear disconnect between consumer sentiment and action. For brands, this means any sustainability initiative must deliver on core needs like price and quality first, as simply being “green” isn’t enough to win over the American shopper.
The wider view: This consumer apathy creates a complicated landscape for brands. Many CPG companies are already struggling to meet their own green goals, and while consumers say they want brands to be responsible, those same brands often lobby against producer responsibility programs. Yet, in a fascinating contradiction, a separate study found that products with clear environmental claims have actually outgrown their peers, suggesting green marketing still holds powerful sway.
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