Perhaps filed under trends that will not go away in the minds of consumers, NPR reports on how campaigns against use of plastic are gathering strength as evidence mounts of their environmental impact on the oceans and, ultimately, our water supply. NPR highlights the efforts of one company, BillerudKornsäs, to create paper-based alternatives to plastic packaging, from laptop packaging to the holy grail of the plastic beverage bottle.

Hartman Group Insights: Mainstream consumers can often talk about unsustainable packaging as an important issue but still will not seek out better choices. But when a product can deliver on better packaging or actively innovate in the area, brand perception can benefit significantly. According to our research, Sustainability 2017, consumers are most concerned about Styrofoam food containers, non-recyclable packaging and plastic shopping bags. Even for mainstream consumers, overtly unsustainable packaging is starting to raise questions about a brand’s ethos and may ultimately impact perceptions of quality of the product itself.