What Customers Really Think About Sustainable Food Packaging
Posted:
In: Food packaging , Eco-Friendly
By:
Joe Sizeland
Posted:
Sustainability is one of the biggest talking points in the food and hospitality industry right now. From compostable coffee cups to recycled takeaway boxes, businesses across the UK are investing in greener packaging, partly because it's the right thing to do, and partly because they believe their customers expect it.
But what do customers actually think? Do they notice sustainable packaging? Do they trust the claims made about it? And are they willing to pay more for it?
To find out, iKrafts commissioned an independent survey of 766 UK adults, exploring their attitudes, behaviours, and priorities when it comes to sustainable food packaging. The results might surprise you.
Before we dig into the detail, here's a snapshot of what the survey found:
We asked respondents to rank eight factors in order of importance when choosing a food product or restaurant. Here's how they stacked up:
| Rank | Factor | Consumer Priority |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Food quality | 44.36% rank as top priority |
| 2 | Price / value | 37.93% rank as top priority |
| 3 | Dietary requirements / ingredients | 17.85% rank as top priority |
| 4 | Portion size | 9.32% rank as top priority |
| 5 | Packaging sustainability | 8.53% rank as top priority |
| 6 | Convenience / speed of service | 8.01% rank as top priority |
| 7 | Customer reviews / recommendations | 7.22% rank as top priority |
| 8 | Brand reputation | 6.04% rank as top priority |
Food quality (44.36%) and price/value (37.93%) dominate. Packaging sustainability ranks fifth - with just 8.53% of consumers placing it at the top of their list.
Nearly 65% of respondents ranked price/value in their top two priorities. That's a significant finding for any food business making decisions about packaging investment.
When asked if they would be willing to pay extra for sustainable packaging:
47.51% of consumers are unwilling to pay anything extra for sustainable packaging.
32.94% would accept a price increase of between 1–5% - making this the ceiling for most buyers.
Only 6.04% would be willing to pay more than 10% extra.
Only 8.97% of respondents say sustainability is a major deciding factor when choosing one brand or restaurant over another. For the vast majority, it's a nice-to-have, not a deal-breaker.
This doesn't mean sustainability is irrelevant. It means it's a supporting factor that builds reputation over time, rather than a primary driver of immediate purchasing decisions. Brands that lead on sustainable packaging are building long-term trust - even if the impact isn't visible in next month's sales figures.
One of the most striking findings from the survey is just how little trust consumers place in sustainability claims made by food brands.
More than 85% of customers are approaching eco-friendly packaging messages with some degree of doubt. Here's how that scepticism breaks down:
Cautious scepticism, not trust, is the default position. For businesses, this is both a challenge and an opportunity.
When we asked consumers what would make them more likely to trust a brand's sustainability claims, three things stood out:
We also asked what effect a change in packaging sustainability would have on purchasing behaviour:
If a brand switched to MORE sustainable packaging:
If a brand switched to LESS sustainable packaging:
Consumer intentions and consumer actions don't always align. Here's how respondents say they handle sustainable food packaging:
Nearly one in five people either follows instructions tentatively or doesn't know what to do - which means the environmental benefit of sustainable packaging depends heavily on how clearly disposal instructions are communicated.
The survey revealed significant differences between age groups. Younger consumers are engaged and motivated, but they need clearer guidance and more credible communication to convert that motivation into correct behaviour. Older consumers are doing the right thing behaviourally, but they're not particularly engaged in scrutinising sustainability messaging. They're reliable recyclers, not vocal advocates.
Your customers' primary concerns are food quality and price. Sustainable packaging works best as a credibility-builder in the background, not as your main sales message. Focus on what you do brilliantly, and let sustainable packaging reinforce your brand values.
With nearly half of consumers unwilling to pay anything extra, the cost of sustainable packaging needs to be absorbed and managed internally. Work with suppliers who understand the commercial realities and can help you find cost-effective materials that don't compromise on function or look.
Certifications, material labelling and clear disposal instructions are the most effective ways to build trust in your sustainability credentials. Avoid vague language. If your packaging is FSC-certified, compostable or made from recycled material - say so, clearly, and show the evidence.
A significant proportion of consumers (especially younger adults) are unsure how to dispose of sustainable packaging correctly. Clear, simple disposal instructions on the packaging itself can significantly improve recycling and composting rates, which strengthens the actual environmental impact of your investment.
Sustainability doesn't drive immediate purchasing decisions for most consumers - but it does influence long-term brand perception and loyalty. Businesses that consistently use and communicate about sustainable packaging are building a reputation that will matter more and more as environmental expectations rise.
This research was commissioned by iKrafts and conducted via an online, self-administered survey in 2026. The survey captured responses from 766 UK adults, with a regional breakdown across the UK and demographic segmentation by age and gender.
