Three-quarters of all online shoppers attach great importance to environmentally friendly packaging

For 75 percent of the e-commerce customers surveyed, the complete recyclability of the material is one of the characteristics that distinguish environmentally friendly packaging. This puts this criterion in first place - closely followed by the avoidance of plastic, which 72 percent of the survey participants named. Third place is shared by two requirements: 67 percent of respondents consider packaging to be environmentally compatible if it is no larger than the goods require. An equally high proportion of online shoppers believe that environmentally friendly packaging should be made of recycled material. 64 percent of respondents also cite a base made from renewable raw materials as a criterion. "The survey results make it clear that consumers who regularly shop online now have a whole range of demands when it comes to environmentally friendly packaging," explains VDW Managing Director Dr. Oliver Wolfrum. "Online retailers who opt for shipping packaging made of corrugated board are making a good choice and meeting the wishes of their customers; after all, the material is fully recyclable, contributes to plastic avoidance, is based on renewable raw materials and consists of 80 percent recycled material." The corrugated board industry is also making an increasingly important contribution in the optimal adaptation of the packaging size to the goods, in close cooperation with its customers, Wolfrum said.

Awareness that corrugated packaging is recyclable and environmentally friendly is already present among many, according to the survey, with 57 percent of respondents confirming this statement. "In the questions on information status, 80 percent of e-commerce customers also knew that used corrugated board, folded flat, belongs in the waste paper," adds the VDW managing director. This shows that corrugated board is perceived as a recycled product. At the same time, there is interest in even more information. Some 49 percent of respondents would like to see more detailed information on the material and its environmental friendliness directly on the packaging. In this respect, the industry is also taking the survey results as an incentive to further strengthen its communication on the sustainability of corrugated board. "A sustainable material cycle depends to a large extent on the support of all those involved," emphasizes Wolfrum.