The Programme for the Endorsement of Forest Certification (PEFC) has welcomed the results of a Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) commissioned YouGov Poll, which showed that over half of the UK’s consumers visiting their local supermarket or food retailer prefer their groceries and fresh produce to be available in paper-based packaging.

The research revealed that over half of the 2,289 people surveyed in the nationwide poll, (some 57%) said they preferred their grocery and food packaging in paper-based material, whilst some 31% expressed no preference and just 8% preferred plastic containers.

The consumers surveyed were also asked how likely they were to purchase a product from a retailer using paper-based containers as opposed to plastic containers. Some 46% said they were more likely to purchase an item if the packaging was paper-based, compared to 47% who said it would make no difference.

The CPI poll’s findings also suggest that paper-based packaging materials have a positive effect on consumers’ purchasing decisions, as is evident from the 46% who prefer to buy a product from a retailer using paper-based containers.

According to the CPI, the findings also reflect that paper and corrugated remain the most popular form of packaging for consumers in the UK, with corrugated packaging being the most recycled packaging medium, as well as being one of the most engaging to consumers, due to its personalisation and colour printability qualities.

The results from the CPI’s poll further underline the findings from PEFC’s first global consumer survey, which showed that certification labels, such as the PEFC label, is one of the most trusted means of giving confidence to consumers that wood-based products are sustainably sourced. 

The findings from the PEFC global consumer survey revealed that more than 80% of consumers globally want companies sourcing certified material from sustainable managed forests to use certification labels. The PEFC global consumer survey also showed that certification labels, such as the PEFC’s, are the most trusted means of giving confidence to consumers that wood-based products are sustainably sourced. 

Consumers globally believe that it is important to make ethical choices, with 60% of all those surveyed agreeing that their shopping choice for a labelled product can make a positive difference to the world’s forest. Only a small minority, 10%, felt that their choice for a sustainably sourced product would not make a difference.

The first PEFC Global Consumer Survey was undertaken by German-based GfK on behalf of PEFC International with a sample of a total of 13,000 people in 13 countries, 1,000 men and women aged 16+ years per country, in Australia, Austria, Brazil, China, Finland, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Spain, Sweden, UK and USA.