A call for joined-up action across the value chain
By Petra Kramer, Client Director Behaviour Change & Healthcare, Kantar Public, Netherlands
Over recent years, awareness of and concern about the environmental impact of plastic packaging – and especially single-use packaging – has grown tremendously across the world. The challenges posed by plastics have been on the European Union’s agenda for decades.
As part of its broader efforts to reduce plastic waste and pollution, the EU introduced its Single-Use Plastics Directive in July 2021, effectively banning plastic straws, cutlery, plates and cotton tips across all Member States, as well as imposing restrictions on single-use cups and food containers.
Drawing on research conducted for the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management in the Netherlands, Petra Kramer unpacks here some of the barriers facing Dutch businesses and citizens when it comes to reducing single-use packaging. She shares recommendations on how policymakers can accelerate the adoption of refillable and reusable options, and transition to circular economy for plastics.
The Plastic Pact NL: a common commitment to reducing plastic waste across the value chain
Launched in 2019 by the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management, the Plastic Pact NL brings together more than 100 businesses (including grocery chains, premium brands, and packaging manufacturers) and environmental organisations in an agreement to reduce plastic packaging by 20% by 2025, transition from single-use to reusable packaging, and ensure that any new plastic packaging is 100% recyclable. A significant behavioural shift for the different actors across the entire value chain, including the consumer.
At the same time, changes in the packaging of supermarket products have so far only been introduced slowly, with consumers continuing to purchase products wrapped in single-use packaging.
So, what is holding people and organisations back, and how can change be accelerated?
In order to entice both supermarkets and consumers to try reusable packaging options, the Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management asked Kantar Public to help better understand what stands in the way, and what might start to move things forward.
The importance of engaging all stakeholders
Consistent with the core principle of the Plastic Pact NL - that all stakeholders need to be involved in order to achieve success – our team adopted an inclusive approach to the study, consisting of three elements:
Our study revealed first and foremost that both stakeholder groups (consumers and supermarkets) are very open to the idea of making changes to the products they purchase or sell, in terms of using less, different, and reusable packaging. For example, both groups reported that they would not have any problem with certain disposable packaging being completely replaced by reusable options.
Consumer attitudes towards a transition to different packaging reuse options
Source: Kantar Public, Netherlands for Ministry of Infrastructure and Water Management
But then the question arises - if supermarkets offer reuse options, will consumers take them up? Evidence shows that there is often a gap between what people say they will do, and what they actually do (the intention-action gap). Many different factors can get in the way, ranging from cost or availability to laziness, stubborn habits, and social norms.
To better understand the potential drivers for and barriers to buying products with reusable packaging, we tested consumers’ reactions to different reuse models developed by the Ellen MacArthur Foundation . These include four options in figure 1. 1
Figure 1
All four options were positively received, with 74 to 82% of Dutch consumers (depending on the option) saying they would be willing to try them in order to reduce the use of disposable packaging.
Addressing barriers for consumers and leveraging the feel-good factor
Across all reuse options, the most important driver of purchase intention, is the notion that people are making a positive contribution to a better environment, which makes people feel good about themselves.
Conversely, a major barrier is related to self-image (possibly underpinned by social norms): a feeling that ‘it’s not for me'. It is therefore essential to focus on addressing these associations and dissonance, and the perception of reuse as being misaligned with social norms; instead helping people to feel that this is something for them.
Another important barrier for most reuse models is the extra effort required from people, such as bringing their own packaging, cleaning packaging between use, storing empty packaging and returning it. Supermarkets and manufacturers will have to consider how to make it as easy as possible for consumers to adopt this type of packaging (and renounce to the convenience of single-use packaging).
Supermarkets are willing but uncertain, waiting for others to take the lead
For their part, sustainability managers and local managers of large supermarket chains are generally very positive about the introduction of more reusable packaging options. They are both intrinsically motivated and spurred on by external social pressures.
However, there is a strong need for reassurance as to the impact of introducing reuse options within their supermarkets: how will customers react to this change, will the initial investment be recouped, and if so, how fast? Many supermarkets prefer to let someone else take the risk and lead the way, before investing themselves.
Among the different reuse models, ‘refill on the go’ (where consumers fill their own reusable packaging with packaging-free bulk products) is the option favoured by most supermarket managers. In large part, this is because this model is currently the most familiar for consumers, and supermarket managers would have seen it being used by competitors (hence, more certainty!). But it is also favoured as very visible in stores, and therefore helps influence people’s mindsets and normalise reuse faster.
Learnings and inspiration from abroad
Desk research into the experience of British and French supermarkets reveals inspiring initiatives which Dutch supermarkets could learn from. In France, a new law approved by Parliament in April 2021, states that by 2030, 20% of the floor surface for shops larger than 400 square meters, must be fitted with refill systems.
France is a front runner in this area, with premium brands piloting refill systems in supermarkets, and with a new, upcoming company Loop which delivers filled reusable packaging to people’s homes and then collects them for refill when empty. The same company works with supermarket chain Tesco in the UK.
In the UK, Waitrose became the first supermarket chain to integrate unpacked items into regular aisles, as part of its pioneering ‘Unpacked’ refillable concept, offering a wide range of packaging-free (own brand) products.
Similar initiatives are in place at other UK supermarkets, either with own brand products, or in partnership with producers of branded products.
Although some Dutch supermarkets are adopting and rolling out similar initiatives, it is happening slowly and at a small scale. This could argue for more European cooperation both between supermarkets and between governments.
“Packaging of supermarket products represents a big part of the waste challenge in our environment. It is crucial to find out how we can entice both supermarkets and consumers to shift to reusable packaging. This research shows that Dutch people are very open to using and buying more products with reusable packaging. I encourage brands, retailers and supermarkets to take the next step by making reusable alternatives accessible for consumers in their supermarkets.”
Steven van Weyenberg, Dutch Minister for the Environment
Conclusion
Reusable packaging in Dutch supermarkets is still seldom used compared to disposable packaging. But the signals for faster change are all green, as long as all parties stay aligned. Our research has identified different routes for policymakers to accelerate this change and transition to a circular economy:
1. All parties – both public and private – must be engaged and aligned in further research, testing and development of reuse and refill initiatives to be rolled out. Supermarkets will value sector-wide agreements, so that risks are shared. Changes mandated by the government would also accelerate this shift away from single-use packaging.
2. Based on the positive responses from supermarket managers, ‘refill on the go’ is a model that could be further rolled out. This model is clearly visible in stores and therefore helps embed the reuse of packaging into consumers’ shopping habits and behaviours. And as ‘refill on the go’ becomes more widespread, the exposure effect will further encourage consumers and drive preference. This can be reinforced with supermarket promotions and rewards for consumers bringing their own packaging.
3. To lower barriers to reuse models, such as the dissonance with people’s self-image (‘this is not for me’), supermarkets or brands need to make reuse fun and attractive - something that suits the consumer and his/her lifestyle. For example, personalising the reusable packaging or designing innovative containers, as well as offering places to return or refill packaging so that storage, cleaning and carrying won’t become a burden.
4. When further reuse options are introduced, communication to consumers should stress how significantly these contribute to a better environment, thus tapping into the ‘feel good’ factor.
5. Finally, involving other parties in the value chain in further research and testing – notably the food and the packaging industries - and discussing roles and opportunities in a joined-up effort, can significantly accelerate progress towards offering more protection that our environment so badly - and so urgently - needs.
References
1. Ellen Macarthur Foundation - Reuse– rethinking packaging
