Sustainable packaging in the FMCG industry

Abstract

The Fast Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry regularly produces monumental waste. Today sustainability is the central issue of every society. Today, the average consumer is more aware of their product choices' environmental impact than a consumer as little as five years ago. The change is real and apparent and can no longer be ignored. With the increase in awareness about sustainability and its significance and the rise in eco-friendly regulations, sustainable packaging is, now more than ever, an issue of concern for customers. With this tectonic shift in consumer behaviour towards more sustainable and eco-friendly products, it is time for the FMCG industry to make some strategic changes. Brands have already started adopting sustainable marketing based on this shift in consumer mindset. However, we believe it is beneficial to understand consumers' various factors before purchasing. What drives the purchase? What deters it? These are essential questions to understand the consumer and build brands genuinely. We may already know what factors affect the consumer decision-making cycle, but understanding the root cause behind those factors is of utmost importance. This research aims to analyze consumer perception and behaviour regarding eco-friendly and sustainable packaging. For this research, we have thoroughly reviewed thirty research papers to gain insights into all the study that has already been conducted. We also worked on both moderated and unmoderated focus group discussions to better understand consumer behaviour towards sustainability. We have derived a fair idea of the gap between consumer understanding, behavior, and products available in the market. We get various insights from the definition of sustainability, factors influencing consumers, and why current trends and practices, and even practices in other industries (other than FMCG) would be a beneficial correlation/comparison aspect.