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Consumer Behaviour

In many sectors of plastics applications, it is the consumer who determines market success. Market research, particularly in the area of biopackaging, has shown that bioplastics and conventional plastics are quite clearly differentiated. According to this research, consumers want to see more products made from bioplastics on the market.

Mont Blanc Bio vegetable packaging
©  Cedap

During the Kassel Model Project in 2002, 600 citizens took part in in-depth interviews concerning their opinion of bioplastics and biodegradable packaging.  Some conclusions of this survey (all results to be found at www.modellprojekt-kassel.de) were:

• Nearly 90% stated that they found the idea of replacing conventional plastic packaging with compostable packaging "good" or even "very good"
• 80% of purchasers of plastic packaging assess its quality as good or very good
• 87% would purchase the products again – a very high proportion
• Food products, and also cosmetics and hygiene products should be packaged in bioplastics
• Ultimately a third of consumers in any case would be prepared to pay a premium.

These results are also supported by a study of consumers in four European countries, including Germany, undertaken by Grapentine Company in 2003. The study moreover concluded that both the retail shopping basket and the customer’s loyalty to the retailer increase when bioplastics products are on offer. New packaging improves both product image and the image of the manufacturers and suppliers. According to these results, bioplastics products represent an additional purchasing incentive. With regard to their competitiveness, bioplastics provide a point of differentiation in marketing – a very good starting point for differentiating products and brands.

Correct sorting when composting

Correct consumer behaviour also plays an important role in the disposal and recovery of bioplastics products. Corresponding labelling and education enable the consumer to distinguish correctly between compostable plastics and conventional ones, and to sort them following domestic use.  The test project in Kassel involving 100,000 households scientifically proved that such a level of discrimination is possible when sorting waste. More than 60% of the products were disposed in the biowaste. The “misthrow” quota, ie. conventional plastics packaging deposited on the compost, did not increase during this period. The results are to be found at www.modellprojekt-kassel.de.