Consumers Prioritize Sustainable Packaging Over Purchases

US and Canadian shoppers are increasingly avoiding purchases due to concerns about unsustainable packaging and plastics. According to a survey conducted by Aura, 37% of consumers in the two countries have boycotted products over packaging issues, while the figure rose to 42% in Europe. Shoppers are prioritizing sustainability in their purchasing decisions.

US and Canadian shoppers are increasingly avoiding purchases due to concerns about unsustainable packaging and plastics. According to a recent survey, 37% of consumers in these countries have boycotted products over packaging issues, while the figure rose to 42% in Europe. This trend highlights a shift in consumer priorities, with sustainability becoming a key factor in purchasing decisions [1]. The concern over packaging is not unfounded. The global crisis of single-use plastics, particularly sachets, has led to significant environmental and financial burdens. Billions of sachets end up polluting streets, waterways, and communities, especially in the Global South. These sachets are often produced by multinational corporations that promote corporate sustainability pledges, but these efforts often fall short of actual change [2]. One major issue is greenwashing, a tactic used by companies to create a false impression of environmental responsibility. Companies like Unilever, Nestlé, Coca-Cola, Danone, and Procter & Gamble have been identified as prime offenders in the sachet industry. They run sustainability campaigns that highlight recyclability, natural ingredients, or carbon neutrality, but behind the scenes, they continue to produce non-recyclable packaging [2]. Despite pledges to make all packaging recyclable, reusable, or compostable by 2025, companies like Unilever and Nestlé continue to use sachets. These sachets are difficult to recycle and often end up being burned in cement factories, a practice known as co-processing. This emits toxins that endanger public health, particularly in communities near these facilities [2]. The financial costs of managing sachet waste fall on local municipalities and taxpayers in the Global South. Meanwhile, corporations avoid financial responsibility and continue to profit from excessive plastic production. This shift in financial and environmental burden is a growing concern for investors and financial professionals [2]. To address these issues, extended producer responsibility (EPR) policies are being proposed. These policies require companies to help pay for or manage the collection and disposal of their packaging waste. However, many large corporations push back against these regulations, preferring voluntary commitments that lack ambition or enforcement [2]. The good news is that real alternatives exist. Community-driven efforts are already showing how to reduce plastic waste without false fixes. These efforts include refill stations in local stores and broader zero-waste solutions. What is needed now is the courage to support these approaches at scale and to stop pretending that business as usual is sustainable [2]. References: [1] BreakFreeFromPlastic. (2025). Is Corporate Sustainability Used to Avoid Accountability for the Sachet Problem? Retrieved from https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/2025/07/08/is-corporate-sustainability-used-to-avoid-accountability-for-the-sachet-problem/ [2] BreakFreeFromPlastic. (2025). Is Corporate Sustainability Used to Avoid Accountability for the Sachet Problem? Retrieved from https://www.breakfreefromplastic.org/2025/07/08/is-corporate-sustainability-used-to-avoid-accountability-for-the-sachet-problem/