The UK introduced a Plastic Packaging Tax on the 1st April 2022. This means businesses will now be charged for the plastic they use, and the charge will be \u00a3200 per tonne of plastic that contains less than 30% of recycled plastic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The plastic packaging tax is being introduced to encourage businesses to switch to more sustainable packaging. But the big question is: will this actually lead to businesses using more eco-friendly packaging? <\/p>\n\n\n\n
It should do. According to packaging supplier Springpack, 61%<\/a> of consumers say they\u2019re likely to switch to a brand that is more environmentally friendly than their current brand. So it\u2019s not just a case of businesses avoiding the plastic packaging tax charge<\/a>, it\u2019s also a case of businesses profiting from using eco-friendly packaging. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s all well and good moving from plastic packaging to eco-friendly packaging, but while the cost of living is increasing, will consumers really pay more for products just because the packaging is eco-friendly? <\/p>\n\n\n\n The answer is not so straightforward. What we say and what we do are sometimes very different things. So, when consumers indicate that they\u2019d be willing to switch to a competitor brand simply because they\u2019re using eco-friendly packaging, that might not be true if the cost increases. In the GlobalWebIndex\u2019s\u00a0sustainable packaging report<\/a>, they found that \u201ceven though sustainable materials are important, the cost is the biggest challenger by far.\u201d Therefore, price will still be the biggest driver when it comes to consumer choices.\u00a0 <\/p>\n\n\n\n The more businesses are required to reduce their carbon footprints in an effort to achieve net-zero, the more we will see innovative packaging that is both eco-friendly and affordable available on the market. And the more this happens, the less plastic packaging we\u2019ll see on our favourite products. <\/p>\n\n\n\n And it\u2019s not just the pure cost of the product that businesses will be thinking about. Bubble wrap has been used for decades to help protect products through transit. But large rolls of bubble wrap can take up a huge amount of space in a warehouse. Innovative products such as eco pillow films take up much less room, freeing up space for storing more important products. <\/p>\n\n\n\nBut will consumers pay more for products in eco-friendly packaging?\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Innovative Packaging Will Help<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
There\u2019s Still a Long Way to Go<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n