The Future of Sustainable Alcoholic Beverage Packaging

Introduction
Well over half of consumers across 20 nations consider grocery products to be over-packaged. Although this sentiment varies depending on product sector, it is symptomatic of intensifying pressure for the packaging industry to develop more sustainable solutions across the supply chain. In short, sustainability remains an industry defining issue for packagers and their customers

Features and benefits
Obtain ‘evidence-led insight’: access multiple waves of primary consumers research data to support improved decision making
Develop compelling ‘on-trend’ products: better meet alcoholic beverage consumers’ packaging expectations with highly valued packaging features
Opportunity profiling: identify industry sentiment, consumer segments and best practice to better capitalize on an industry defining trend
Highlights
Widespread environmental concerns are driving the sustainable packaging agenda Indicative of just how significant the issue has become, about two-thirds of consumers globally are willing to endure some degree of economic burden to protect the environment a finding made even more relevant in the context of the global economic crisis

Negative public perceptions of packaging have driven much of the sustainable packaging debate so far. Packaging is often seen as a burden to consumers and the environment (with French and UK consumers most likely to perceive grocery products to be over-packaged), thereby elevating the importance of sustainability in the ‘packaging mix’

Minimizing the environment burden is just one of a number of important features determining how consumers will judge packaging. Nevertheless, claims associated with more sustainable forms of packaging, such as ‘reduced packaging’ and ‘recyclable/compostable’, exert a favorable influence on consumers’ product evaluations

Your key questions answered
What proportion of consumers consider alcoholic beverages to be over-packaged?
What proportion of consumers act on their sustainable packaging concerns by changing the purchase choices?
How does the issue of sustainable packaging in the alcohol sector compare to other CPG sectors?
What approaches have producers across the CPG spectrum pursued as best practice solutions to sustainable packaging provision?
What can I do to better communicate sustainable packaging efforts to the consumer?

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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Overview 1
Catalyst 1
Summary 1
THE FUTURE DECODED 14
INTRODUCTION: Intensifying pressure exists for the packaging industry to develop more sustainable solutions across the supply chain 14
TREND: Widespread environmental concerns are driving the sustainable packaging agenda 29
TREND: Consumers are becoming more sensitive to sustainable packaging issues and perceive grocery products to be over-packaged 43
TREND: Heightened sensitivity to the environmental impact of packaging is influencing consumer behavior 61
INSIGHT: A small segment of alcoholic beverage consumers are influenced by, and acting upon, sustainable packaging concerns 83
INSIGHT: Sustainability aligned benefits do not feature among the top three attributes consumers value from grocery product packaging 91
INSIGHT: Sustainable packaging concerns align well with consumers’ desire to ‘de-clutter’ 106
INSIGHT: Concerns about sustainable packaging potentially conflict with desires for more information about alcoholic beverage product credentials 112
ACTION POINTS 123
ACTION: Contribute to broader efforts to educate consumers about the merits of packaging and, in particular, sustainable packaging design 124
ACTION: Ensure that the sustainability profile of packaging continually improves by evaluating all the routes towards sustainable food and beverage packaging 139
ACTION: Market more sustainably packaged alcoholic beverage products as a positive lifestyle choice 165
APPENDIX 173
Definitions 173
Supplementary data 174
Methodology 186
Further reading and references 188
Ask the analyst 191
Datamonitor consulting 192
Disclaimer 192


TABLE OF FIGURES
Figure 1: Sustainability captures a broad range of social, environmental and economic issues 16
Figure 2: The sustainability challenges differ markedly depending of economic progress 16
Figure 3: Corporate social responsibility (which also encompasses sustainability) remains a top-tier business issue for consumer companies 18
Figure 4: Packagers are increasingly familiar with, and acting upon, sustainability principles 19
Figure 5: Retailers (and their customers) are leading the drive towards more sustainable forms of packaging 21
Figure 6: Improved cost management drives many decisions to embrace sustainable packaging initiatives 22
Figure 7: Sustainable packing is an ‘umbrella term’ incorporating a range of principles 24
Figure 8: Understanding both the drivers and inhibitors of sustainable packaging will allow for better decision making regarding an issue that could potentially re-shape how a company operates 27
Figure 9: Deep-rooted environmental values that now characterize majorities of global citizens 30
Figure 10: There is worldwide consensus that global warming is a serious problem 32
Figure 11: More than three-quarters of citizens globally attach high importance to protecting the environment—a sentiment that is pushing the sustainable packaging agenda 34
Figure 12: On a like-for-like basis, citizens in a few countries consider sustainability-led issues to be more of a concern than the economy in 2010 37
Figure 13: Despite being in a global recession, a considerable proportion of global citizens would—in theory at least—sacrifice some economic growth to address environmental concerns 38
Figure 14: The extent consumers feel truly informed about environmental issues is lower than expressed concern 39
Figure 15: Public awareness and interest in sustainable packaging is fueled by a plethora of communications focusing on the issue 44
Figure 16: Consumers are becoming more sensitive to sustainable packaging issues and perceive grocery products to be over-packaged, although alcohol fairs from better than average perceptions 47
Figure 17: Packaging and associated waste is an important green issue for consumers 48
Figure 18: Contradictory attitudes towards the role of packaging exist, which presents an important challenge for the packaging industry and supply chain partners they serve 50
Figure 19: A majority of consumers think products are over-packaged, although this perception has subsided 51
Figure 20: Consumers expect retail/consumer companies in particular to make a positive environmental impact via measures such as minimizing packaging or using to recyclable materials 54
Figure 21: Consumers in the UK, Australia and Japan have higher expectations of retail and consumer companies to make a positive environmental impact via measures such as minimizing packaging 55
Figure 22: Alcoholic beverage products are perceived to be the least over-packaged FMCG items 57
Figure 23: With few exceptions, only limited numbers of consumers believe that alcoholic beverages are over-packaged 58
Figure 24: Ethical consumerism involves a mix of ‘positive’ and ‘negative’ consumer behaviors 61
Figure 25: Consumers are beginning to believe that their own individual actions can make a difference in improving environmental/sustainability outcomes 62
Figure 26: Many citizens recognize their personal responsibility in addressing environmental degradation 64
Figure 27: Approaching half of consumers across 20 countries report being attentive towards the environmental friendliness of grocery product packaging 65
Figure 28: Well over a third of consumers in most nations will consider alternatives if they perceive a product has too much packaging 67
Figure 29: Around 40% of consumers claim to avoid excessively packaged goods on a frequent basis 69
Figure 30: Packaging sustainability considerations also influence gift buying 70
Figure 31: Promoting green credentials, whether more sustainable packaging or other related claims, necessitates finding the right balance in marketing communications 73
Figure 32: Sustainable packaging claims such as ‘reduced packaging’ exert a favorable influence on consumers’ product evaluations 74
Figure 33: Recycling of household waste is more established in developed consumer markets—indicative of the superior recycling infrastructure that is typically apparent in these countries 77
Figure 34: Recycled content tops the criteria for how the industry evaluates sustainable packaging 80
Figure 35: Bringing one’s own bag to a store or market has been a topical sustainability issue in recent years 81
Figure 36: The contested use of store-bags has made packaging and waste a more visible topic in many consumer societies 81
Figure 37: A segment of alcoholic beverage consumers are influenced by, and acting upon, sustainable packaging concerns 83
Figure 38: Only around 2-in-10 consumers are highly influenced by the amount of packaging when choosing alcoholic beverage products 85
Figure 39: Too much packaging influences a fifth of alcoholic beverage consumers to consider an alternative purchase 88
Figure 40: More environmentally friendly packaging is a hot topic for consumers, but for most it is not the most important packaging attribute sought 91
Figure 41: Packaging—which can be classified in three ways—performs a number of crucial roles 92
Figure 42: Sustainability benefits do not feature among the top three attributes consumers value from packaging 95
Figure 43: Consumers are not willing to compromise hygiene and protection for environmental benefits 97
Figure 44: The perception that reduced packaging in grocery products may compromise product quality does exist, but is not highly pronounced 98
Figure 45: Taste and flavor typically dictate consumers’ alcoholic beverage choices, with ethics and sustainability still a secondary concern for most 100
Figure 46: Products touting ethical or sustainable credentials need to contend with the habitual nature of alcoholic beverage selection; consumer may simply overlook these benefits 100
Figure 47: Frito-Lay’s new environmentally-aligned packaging for the SunChips brand quickly became the target of negative attention because of how noisy it is 103
Figure 48: Sustainable packaging concerns align well with consumers’ desire to ‘de-clutter’ 106
Figure 49: Consumers have placed added emphasis on living a less complicated lifestyle in recent years 107
Figure 50: Reducing consumption levels in order to improve the environment is an ideology that majorities of global citizens subscribe to—at least from an attitudinal perspective 110
Figure 51: Concerns about sustainable packaging potentially conflict with desires for more information about alcoholic beverage and other grocery product credentials 113
Figure 52: Alcoholic drinks consumers want more information on calorific values of the beverages they consume 114
Figure 53: Global shoppers value reassurances and transparency about how products are produced— including information on packaging about products are made 117
Figure 54: Carbon-free certified products are beginning to appear in the FMCG marketplace 120
Figure 55: Ethical wellbeing is a compelling opportunity providing impetus for strategy defining social marketing initiatives 121
Figure 56: If a real ethical/sustainability advantage exists with product packaging, companies must use it to inspire customers and end consumers 125
Figure 57: Industry players must engage and inform consumers about sustainable packaging initiatives 127
Figure 58: Educating consumers about sustainability policies increases awareness and potentially adds impact to the changes being made 128
Figure 59: Sainsbury’s sustainability aligned milk bags are being touted as a 'flagship product' for the retailer 129
Figure 60: Signatory moments such as sustainability events can add additional clout to the sustainable packaging message 130
Figure 61: PepsiCo’s ‘Performance with Purpose’ initiative allows packaging (among other) to take center stage in the company’s sustainability pledges 131
Figure 62: Industry players must focus on sustainability claims that are transparent 133
Figure 63: Recycling bins are one way to encourage recycling, especially in convenience channels 134
Figure 64: Packaging, both within and outside of the FMCG space, will signpost sustainability credentials more vigorously going forward 136
Figure 65: Logos of acceptable forest management certification programs will begin to appear on the packaging of Unilever's brands, while cause-marketing can also have packaging implications 137
Figure 66: Through packaging initiatives and on-pack graphics, brands can demonstrate their sustainability credentials, but companies should look beyond ‘single attribute eco-labels’ 138
Figure 67: Stonyfield Farm takes website users through the “sustainable packaging journey”, highlighting the incremental steps taken over 20 years as well as what the future might hold 139
Figure 68: Nature’s Path Organic, which has a ‘Packaging Reduction Program’, is an example of a food and beverage company implementing various sustainable packaging principles for a better outcome 141
Figure 69: Packagers and their customers must explore the full range of possible future rewards and risks associated with the vast range of sustainable packaging tactics that exist 142
Figure 70: Such is the irritation with packaging in certain usage scenarios, the term ‘warp rage’ has emerged 144
Figure 71: Waste reduction remains the principle area for implementing sustainable packaging principles 146
Figure 72: The ‘naked’ philosophy that Lush adopts with regards to packaging is one of the more pronounced examples of companies proactively stripping away unnecessary materials from operations 147
Figure 73: Wine vending machines in France remove normal packaging considerations from the supply chain and offer consumers convenience and strong value for money 148
Figure 74: Lightweighting is emerging as a significant trend within the wine market, as suggested by O-I's commitment to lightweight bottle production 149
Figure 75: Lightweighting is about lowering the weight in terms of distribution of the product, as well as lowering the embodied carbon per pack 150
Figure 76: Boxed wines offer product differentiation but also strong sustainable credentials through their weight savings and ergonomics 152
Figure 77: It is important to consider the end-life of packaging when assessing its sustainability 153
Figure 78: Recycled PET is becoming a more familiar and accepted sight within the alcohol market 154
Figure 79: Packaging produced from renewable sources potentially represents an important stepping-stone to the future of sustainable packaging 157
Figure 80: While biodegradable plastic packaging may appear more sustainable its usage is not without difficulties 158
Figure 81: The Natural Process Alliance winery echoes its ethical production approach with local distribution of its wines in stainless steel reusable bottles 159
Figure 82: KFC is actively trying to increase the reuse potential of food and beverage packaging with a new reusable polypropylene container 160
Figure 83: CoverMate has converted to more sustainable packaging for its ‘Stretch-to-Fit Food Cover’ product line 161
Figure 84: Truly embracing sustainability means evaluating an entire business structure: packaging should be assessed and optimized with a thorough understanding of its full role in the product life cycle 163
Figure 85: Through Product Launch Analytics (PLA) and Pack-Track, Datamonitor offers the innovation tools to facilitate effective tracking of the most compelling packaging innovation 164
Figure 86: Ethical products can effectively tap into the desire to purchase in line with one’s expressed values 165
Figure 87: While ethicality and sustainability credentials do influence food and beverage choices, manufacturers and retailers must not lose sight of the wider hierarchy of purchase influences 168
Figure 88: Environmentalism has genuine luxury and conspicuous value 170
Figure 89: Three important commonalities represent the crossover between ethical/environmental consumerism and authenticity 172
Figure 90: Black Grouse Scotch whisky allies sustainable packaging practices with brand heritage and localism 172


TABLE OF TABLES
Table 1: Consumer survey: the extent to which global citizens across 25 countries perceive global warming to be a serious problem, by country, 2007-2010 33
Table 2: Consumer survey: importance attached to protecting the environment, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East and Africa, 2008 and 2010 35
Table 3: Consumer survey: importance attached to protecting the environment across 20 countries, by gender and age, 2010 36
Table 4: Consumer survey: the extent to which global citizens across 25 countries perceive that protecting the environment should be given priority over economic growth, by country, 2007–10 37
Table 5: Consumer survey: extent to which citizens feel informed about how their behavior impacts the environment, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, by country, age and gender (overall), 2010 40
Table 6: Consumer survey: extent to which citizens feel informed about environmental issues such as global warming/'carbon footprint', in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, by country, age and gender (overall), 2010 41
Table 7: Overall and per capita packaging waste, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East and Africa, by country, 2004–2014 45
Table 8: Overall and per capita household waste, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East and Africa, by country, 2004–2014 46
Table 9: Consumer survey: perception of grocery product over-packaging, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, 2008 and 2010 52
Table 10: Consumer survey: perception of grocery product over-packaging across 20 countries, by gender, age and education, 2010 53
Table 11: Consumer survey: agreement with the statement, “alcoholic beverage products have too much packaging” across 18 countries, by age and gender, 2010 59
Table 12: Consumer survey: degree of attentiveness towards whether packaging is environmentally friendly, across 20 countries, by age and gender, 2010 66
Table 13: Consumer survey: agreement with the statement, “if I see a product has too much packaging I will consider buying an alternative product”, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, 2008 and 2010 68
Table 14: Consumer survey: agreement with the statement, “if I see a product has too much packaging I will consider buying an alternative product” across 20 countries, by age and gender, 2010 69
Table 15: Consumer survey: relative importance attached to the environmental friendliness and aesthetics of packaging when gift buying, across 20 countries, by age and gender, 2010 71
Table 16: Consumer survey: perceived influence of a ‘reduced packaging’ and ‘recyclable/compostable’ claim on a grocery product across 20 countries, by gender and age, 2010 75
Table 17: Recycling rates for paper and cardboard waste and glass waste, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas and the Middle East and Africa, by country, 2004–2014 79
Table 18: Consumer survey: perceived influence that the amount of packaging has in directing alcoholic beverage product choices, in 15 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific and the Americas, by country, 2010 86
Table 19: Consumer survey: agreement with the statement, “if I see an alcoholic beverage product has too much packaging I will consider buying an alternative product” across 18 countries, 2009 and 2010 89
Table 20: Consumer survey: agreement with the statement, “if I see an alcoholic beverage product has too much packaging I will consider buying an alternative product” across 18 countries, by age and gender, 2010 90
Table 21: Consumer survey: degree of attentiveness towards 12 different packaging functions/benefits, across in 20 countries, by function, 2010 96
Table 22: Consumer survey: perception that reduced packaging in grocery products may compromise product quality across 20 countries, by age and gender, 2010 98
Table 23: Consumer survey: perception that living a less complicated lifestyle has become more or less important compared to two years previously, across 20 countries, by age and gender, 2010 108
Table 24: Consumer survey: proportion of consumers who felt fairly well or very well informed about the number of calories in particular alcoholic drinks 115
Table 25: Consumer survey: perceived appeal of information on product packages that allows users to see where and how a food or beverage product was made, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, 2008 and 2010 118
Table 26: Consumer survey: perceived appeal of information on product packages that allows users to see where and how a food or beverage product was made across 20 countries, by age and gender, 2010 119
Table 27: Consumer survey: perceived influence of various environmentally themed labels on purchasing decisions across 15 countries, 2010 120
Table 28: Consumer survey: perception that alcoholic beverage products are over-packaged, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, 2010 174
Table 29: Consumer survey: perceived influence of a ‘reduced packaging’ claim on a grocery product, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, 2010 175
Table 30: Consumer survey: perceived influence of a ‘reduced packaging’ claim on a grocery product, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, 2010 176
Table 31: Consumer survey: perception that reduced packaging in grocery products may compromise product quality, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, 2010 177
Table 32: Consumer survey: perception that living a less complicated lifestyle has become more or less important compared to two years previously, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, 2010 178
Table 33: Consumer survey: degree of attentiveness towards whether packaging is environmentally friendly, in 20 countries across Europe, Asia Pacific, the Americas, and the Middle East and Africa, 2010 179
Table 34: France: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 180
Table 35: Germany: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 180
Table 36: Italy: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 180
Table 37: Netherlands: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 181
Table 38: Russia: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 181
Table 39: Spain: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 181
Table 40: Sweden: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 182
Table 41: UK: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 182
Table 42: US: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 182
Table 43: Canada: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 183
Table 44: Brazil: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 183
Table 45: Saudi Arabia: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 183
Table 46: UAE: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 184
Table 47: South Africa: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 184
Table 48: Australia: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 184
Table 49: China: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 185
Table 50: India: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 185
Table 51: Japan: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 185
Table 52: Singapore: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 186
Table 53: Korea: composition of municipal waste (1,000 tonnes), by waste type, 2004-2014 186


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