News

Survey: Restaurant diners will pay more for sustainable packaging

October 15, 2018

More than half of restaurant customers (55 percent) are willing to pay more for fast food products packaged in sustainable materials, with 35 percent stating they would pay up to 10 percent more, according to a new Asia Pulp and Paper report.

The study noted that compared to five years ago food package sustainability is more important to nearly two in three U.S. consumers, and it gets even greater attention from millennials and Baby Boomers, according to a press release.

"Consumers demand smarter packaging that serves both quality and sustainability functions, so it is crucial for the food industry to adopt recyclable and naturally compostable solutions and phase out disposable food packaging like plastics and polystyrene," said Ian Lifshitz, vice president of sustainability and stakeholder relations, APP, in the release. "As brands, they also have the opportunity to win over consumers who choose companies that place sustainability at the heart of their business."

The survey also reported that fewer than one in three (31 percent) of consumers think fast food/fast casual companies do a good job labeling packaging with the proper disposal instructions.