How accepted are bioplastic products by consumers?

The increase in the use of bioplastics is driven by an increasing demand for sustainable products by consumers due to a growing awareness of the impact on the environment. To the environmentally conscious customer, the advantages of being biobased give bioplastics the competitive edge to conventional plastics. About 80 percent of European consumers want to buy products with a minimal impact on the environment (Eurobarometer survey, European Commission, 2013) and brands and companies turn to bioplastic solutions to respond to these demands.

What is more, according to the German Agency for Renewable Resources (FNR) and the Straubing Center of Science (2009), consumers want to see more products made from bioplastics on the market. Yet, consumers are not always very well informed about bioplastics, which leads to some misunderstandings and wrong expectations about the nature of bioplastics and poses a challenge for bioplastics penetrating the consumer market. Joint efforts by the bioplastics industry and brands to inform about bioplastic materials and products are however contributing towards an increased awareness and better understanding of bioplastics amongst consumers.