NEW research commissioned by OPRL (On-Pack Recycling Label) has revealed that recycling remains important for consumers – but more than half of respondents said they cannot always understand whether packaging can be recycled.
OPRL added that consistency and issues around trust in recycling claims also rated highly.
Margaret Bates, executive director at OPRL, said, “It is really encouraging to hear that even with the challenges of the cost-of-living crisis, 68% of our respondents think that recycling is as important – or more important – than ever. The key is to make recycling information clear and easy to locate. Luckily, consumers also told us how to resolve this.”
The research, which surveyed 5,010 people in Britain, found that 58% of consumers look for recycling information when they come to dispose of packaging, while almost 80% said it was important that recycling labels on packaging follow a consistent format.
Margaret Bates added, “Confusing information has a direct impact on the volume of packaging recycled. Our survey showed that 42% of those who are unsure about recyclability will take a guess. This means that items are placed in recycling containers, where they may contaminate the recycling stream.
“Another 22% of our respondents told us that when they are unsure, they choose not to recycle. In both these cases, potentially recyclable packaging is falling through the gap, for want of clear information.”
Trust in recycling claims came under fire during the survey, with consumers stating they wanted to see a standard labelling system that eliminated doubt. 38% agreed that, ‘I don’t believe that all packaging that claims that it can be recycled is actually recyclable’. Charities and independent organisations ranked highest for trust when it came to producing recycling labels, followed by government organisations and, finally, businesses.
Margaret Bates said, “The fact that recycling is still as important to consumers in 2023 is something to celebrate. If we are to harness this enthusiasm, we need to ensure that consumers are given the correct information in a format they can understand.”
