A review on consumer sorting behaviour: Spotlight on food and Fast Moving Consumer Goods plastic packaging

Abstract

Food packaging accounts for a large share of waste, especially in industrialized countries. Sorting waste at the household level is an important step to fostering a circular economy, which prevents climate change by producing fewer virgin plastics. However, a lot of waste, in particular plastic food and Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) packaging, is not sorted correctly by consumers at home. Consumers tend to have a high level of uncertainty regarding the correct sorting of different plastic packaging for food and FMCG. The aim of this review is to outline different factors which influence sorting behaviour in a structured manner. With this information, the miss-sorting of plastic packaging can be further curbed. Numerous aspects can influence the sorting behaviour of consumers. During the course of this work, a scheme was developed that can be used to classify the various factors. This scheme consists of packaging factors, internal factors, external factors, and sociodemographic factors. Packaging designers and producers can make use of the results and design plastic food and FMCG packages accordingly.