The U.K.-based plastics recycling association RECOUP (RECycling of Used Plastics) has announced the results of a recent “Pledge 4 Plastics—Consumer Insight Summary” that details ways to reduce plastic recycling confusion.
The Consumer Insight Summary includes both online market research as well as face-to-face surveys to give a fuller, more detailed view to shape communications to achieve maximum impact in the drive to increase recycling rates, according to the U.K. plastics recycling initiative Pledge 4 Plastics.
The consumer insight report provides an overview of two pieces of consumer insight research undertaken by RECOUP in partnership with Icaro for Marks & Spencer and PlasticsEurope.
When asked why people do not always recycle plastics, the most frequently cited barrier was uncertainty about which plastics can and cannot be recycled (34%), which was the same top answer in a Pledge 4 Plastics consumer study in 2014. This points to the importance of local authorities being able to collect consistent materials and engaging consumers in effective communication programmes about what should be recycled, as well as pointing to maximising the use of schemes that are working effectively, says Pledge 4 Plastics.
One source to help understand a packaging’s recyclability has been the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL). The OPRL is a U.K.-based nonprofit that delivers a simple and consistent recycling message on both retailer and brand packaging to help consumers recycle more. The need for the OPRL is clear and ongoing, with the online and face-to-face surveys both finding the label is used often and remains a strong and well-known consumer message.
The face-to-face survey found 79% of respondents use OPRL, with almost half of the respondents referring to the label often, and 67% found the label very useful. The results of the online survey were similar, with 65% surveyed stating they use OPRL, either very often, fairly often or occasionally. Comparisons with the Pledge 4 Plastics consumer study in 2014 show a moderate increase in the proportion who say that they use OPRL ‘very often’ – from 19% in 2014 to 24%.
Among the consumers who currently use ORPL, almost 1 in 3 (32%) use it frequently for most items. The other two-thirds, by contrast, use it in particular situations, for example, when they have multimaterial packaging or if the item is not one that they have had before.
Steve Morgan, RECOUP technical manager, says, “Although consumer views change over time confusion about what can and cannot be recycled is seemingly as prevalent today as it was two years ago. This is reflected in the recent fall in the recycling rate in the U.K. The role of OPRL in reducing consumers’ confusion can only be maximised by consistent collection of materials irrespective of where you live.”
Other key barriers to consumer recycling include 16% not worrying about the odd thing here or there as consumers report that they think they do enough recycling, and 14% not wanting to rinse packaging in the house.
When asking consumers how acceptable or unacceptable they find how plastics were dealt with by their local authority, the Pledge 4 Plastics consumer study in 2014 found more than 7 in 10 considered burning plastics for energy as an acceptable option, with less than half considering sending plastics to be recycled in other countries as acceptable.
In 2016, although there was far less acceptance of burning plastics for energy (53% online and 45% in the face-to-face survey), it was still considered more acceptable than sending it to other countries (45% and 39%, respectively). Given that two-thirds of U.K. collected plastics packaging is recycled overseas, survey organizers say this is something that needs to be addressed.
The survey notes that there is a challenge in how to communicate and engage with consumers about sustainable activities in clear terms and with a practical call to action.
In both surveys, a high number of consumers had heard of sustainability and carbon offsetting, with a good proportion of these feeling able to explain these terms to others.
However, more than 90% of consumers in the online survey had not heard of the term circular economy. With the increasing use of new terms like this, survey organizers say these terms need to be communicated effectively and embraced to build sustainable living and businesses of the future.
Kevin Vyse, senior packaging technologist and innovation lead at Marks & Spencer, says, “The circular economy is here to stay and is going to be a major driver for packaging development over the next few years. Without understanding the consumer, giving them the incentive to recycle and supporting them via packaging information, there won’t be enough material to drive an effective circular economy. As one of the first retailers to introduce the On-Pack Recycling Label across all our packaging, we know it is an essential tool for customers in understanding what to recycle and how.”
Research for the online survey was conducted by Icaro Consulting on behalf of Pledge 4 Plastics. The online survey was completed by 2,046 adults aged 18 and up in Great Britain, from the 19-21 August 2016.
For the face-to-face survey, research was conducted by RECOUP under the brand Pledge 4 Plastics. This survey interviewed 339 adults and children at in an area of high footfall in Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough from 22-25 August 2016.
RECOUP is a leading authority in the U.K. on plastics recycling, providing expertise and guidance to a wide range of organisations and members across the plastics supply, use and recycling chains. Established in 1990, RECOUP is a registered charity and not for profit organisation that delivers research, project management and policy review activities for members and clients, working to maximise plastics recycling by stimulating the development of sustainable plastics waste management practices.
Led by RECOUP, Pledge 4 Plastics is a government-backed national initiative that aims to boost recycling of plastic packaging in the U.K.
The free Pledge 4 Plastics—Consumer Insight Summary can be accessed at www.recoup.org/p/281/consumer-insight-summary.
The Consumer Insight Summary includes both online market research as well as face-to-face surveys to give a fuller, more detailed view to shape communications to achieve maximum impact in the drive to increase recycling rates, according to the U.K. plastics recycling initiative Pledge 4 Plastics.
The consumer insight report provides an overview of two pieces of consumer insight research undertaken by RECOUP in partnership with Icaro for Marks & Spencer and PlasticsEurope.
When asked why people do not always recycle plastics, the most frequently cited barrier was uncertainty about which plastics can and cannot be recycled (34%), which was the same top answer in a Pledge 4 Plastics consumer study in 2014. This points to the importance of local authorities being able to collect consistent materials and engaging consumers in effective communication programmes about what should be recycled, as well as pointing to maximising the use of schemes that are working effectively, says Pledge 4 Plastics.
One source to help understand a packaging’s recyclability has been the On-Pack Recycling Label (OPRL). The OPRL is a U.K.-based nonprofit that delivers a simple and consistent recycling message on both retailer and brand packaging to help consumers recycle more. The need for the OPRL is clear and ongoing, with the online and face-to-face surveys both finding the label is used often and remains a strong and well-known consumer message.
The face-to-face survey found 79% of respondents use OPRL, with almost half of the respondents referring to the label often, and 67% found the label very useful. The results of the online survey were similar, with 65% surveyed stating they use OPRL, either very often, fairly often or occasionally. Comparisons with the Pledge 4 Plastics consumer study in 2014 show a moderate increase in the proportion who say that they use OPRL ‘very often’ – from 19% in 2014 to 24%.
Among the consumers who currently use ORPL, almost 1 in 3 (32%) use it frequently for most items. The other two-thirds, by contrast, use it in particular situations, for example, when they have multimaterial packaging or if the item is not one that they have had before.
Steve Morgan, RECOUP technical manager, says, “Although consumer views change over time confusion about what can and cannot be recycled is seemingly as prevalent today as it was two years ago. This is reflected in the recent fall in the recycling rate in the U.K. The role of OPRL in reducing consumers’ confusion can only be maximised by consistent collection of materials irrespective of where you live.”
Other key barriers to consumer recycling include 16% not worrying about the odd thing here or there as consumers report that they think they do enough recycling, and 14% not wanting to rinse packaging in the house.
When asking consumers how acceptable or unacceptable they find how plastics were dealt with by their local authority, the Pledge 4 Plastics consumer study in 2014 found more than 7 in 10 considered burning plastics for energy as an acceptable option, with less than half considering sending plastics to be recycled in other countries as acceptable.
In 2016, although there was far less acceptance of burning plastics for energy (53% online and 45% in the face-to-face survey), it was still considered more acceptable than sending it to other countries (45% and 39%, respectively). Given that two-thirds of U.K. collected plastics packaging is recycled overseas, survey organizers say this is something that needs to be addressed.
The survey notes that there is a challenge in how to communicate and engage with consumers about sustainable activities in clear terms and with a practical call to action.
In both surveys, a high number of consumers had heard of sustainability and carbon offsetting, with a good proportion of these feeling able to explain these terms to others.
However, more than 90% of consumers in the online survey had not heard of the term circular economy. With the increasing use of new terms like this, survey organizers say these terms need to be communicated effectively and embraced to build sustainable living and businesses of the future.
Kevin Vyse, senior packaging technologist and innovation lead at Marks & Spencer, says, “The circular economy is here to stay and is going to be a major driver for packaging development over the next few years. Without understanding the consumer, giving them the incentive to recycle and supporting them via packaging information, there won’t be enough material to drive an effective circular economy. As one of the first retailers to introduce the On-Pack Recycling Label across all our packaging, we know it is an essential tool for customers in understanding what to recycle and how.”
Research for the online survey was conducted by Icaro Consulting on behalf of Pledge 4 Plastics. The online survey was completed by 2,046 adults aged 18 and up in Great Britain, from the 19-21 August 2016.
For the face-to-face survey, research was conducted by RECOUP under the brand Pledge 4 Plastics. This survey interviewed 339 adults and children at in an area of high footfall in Queensgate Shopping Centre in Peterborough from 22-25 August 2016.
RECOUP is a leading authority in the U.K. on plastics recycling, providing expertise and guidance to a wide range of organisations and members across the plastics supply, use and recycling chains. Established in 1990, RECOUP is a registered charity and not for profit organisation that delivers research, project management and policy review activities for members and clients, working to maximise plastics recycling by stimulating the development of sustainable plastics waste management practices.
Led by RECOUP, Pledge 4 Plastics is a government-backed national initiative that aims to boost recycling of plastic packaging in the U.K.
The free Pledge 4 Plastics—Consumer Insight Summary can be accessed at www.recoup.org/p/281/consumer-insight-summary.
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