In a climate of growing awareness among Italians of the responsibilities of politics and business for environmental protection, theFMCG Packaging Observatory -realized by Nomisma in collaboration with SpinLife University of Padua-has shown, data in hand, how the insignia of the GDOare considering the impact of a environmentally sustainable packaging On consumers’ purchasing decisions.
Data from the ‘FMCG Packaging’ Observatory.
Data from the second edition of the Observatory, presented Sept. 28, first confirmed how issues such as environmental protection and eco-friendly lifestyles are a priority for an increasingly large segment of the population.
The cross-section of data showing how and how much consumer purchasing decisions are influenced by “green” consciousness, both for products and packaging, appear very indicative and interesting:
- 27 percent of Italians increased their spending on environmentally sustainable products in 2020, a figure that rises to 34 percent in the 2021 forecast;
- 39 percent state their intention to prefer environmentally friendly packaging solutions;
- 71% would change stores if they found products protected by environmentally sustainable packaging;
How does the large-scale retail trade react
A panel of nine of the leading large-scale retail brands operating in Italy (Bennet, Carrefour, Conad, Coop, Despar, Esselunga, Gruppo Gabrielli, MD and Pam) enriched the analyses carried out by Nomisma to complete the Observatory with the companies’ views and strategies.
It is clear that the evolution of demand in terms of preference for green packaging, a trend already underway since 2018, generates significant spillovers on the supply side as Nielsen studies also testify:
“In this period characterized by strong changes in Italians’ shopping habits,” says Nicola De Carne, Retailer Client Business Partner at Nielsen. the issue of eco-sustainability must confront other priorities that have arisen. It is also true that its role in innovation will continue to be relevant, it will just need to find the correct positioning in a scale of customer values that has changed“.
Here are the main actions planned by the GDO in the near future:
- Eliminate plastic materials from packaging wherever possible
- Replacing plastics with alternative solutions that ensure a reduced environmental impact
- 78% of signs will work specifically to reduce the weight of packaging
- Two-thirds of companies in the industry will focus on reducing over-boxing and new paper packaging products
- marketing and communication actions should highlight the focus on the local area and the production chain
- 44% will commit to cutting CO2 emissions