The packaging industry is facing a paradigm shift: sustainability is evolving from a premium feature to a given standard. Dr. Daniel Bornemann, Senior Partner at Simon-Kucher, will present current findings on changing consumer attitudes at interpack 2026.<\/p>\n
The figures speak for themselves: whereas in 2021, 81 per cent of consumers were still willing to pay more for sustainable packaging, this figure fell to 54 per cent by 2025. The accepted surcharge is now a meagre 8 per cent. \u201eIt's more that consumers simply expect it. It's become normal,\u201c explains Bornemann, referring to the development.<\/p>\n
However, this normalisation does not mean less relevance for the topic. \u201eDirty packaging will no longer be accepted,\u201c said the expert. Instead, sustainability has become a compliance issue, driven by legislation such as the PPWR. The prioritisation is noteworthy: 66 percent consider as little packaging as possible to be the most important sustainability feature \u2013 more important than material or recycled content. \u201eEveryone knows it, you open the Amazon package, it's 80 percent air, or the Corn Flakes packaging.\u201c<\/p>
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