Comment
RDM Group urges brands to adopt recycled cartonboard as consumer pressure grows
This push comes as advances in recycled materials are rapidly closing the performance gap with virgin board, making it suitable for many applications that once required primary fi bre. “For too long, the default choice in packaging has been to start from scratch, to use virgin fi bre even in applications where it simply isn’t necessary,” said Krzysztof Krajewski, Chief Sustainability and Innovation Offi cer at RDM Group.
“Today, that assumption no longer holds weight. Advances in recycled cartonboard mean we can now deliver the same performance across a much wider range of applications than ever before. The question companies should be asking is not ‘can recycled work?’ but ‘why aren’t we using it where we can?’
A
s sustainability continues to shape purchasing habits, a new pan-European survey has found that 66 per cent of consumers now consider the
environmental impact of packaging when deciding what to buy.
The research by Perspectus Global – commissioned by leading recycled cartonboard producers – surveyed 6,149 consumers across France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain and the United Kingdom. The fi ndings underpin RDM Group’s latest campaign challenging brands and retailers to rethink one of the most fundamental choices in packaging: whether virgin fi bre is truly necessary, or whether recycled cartonboard can do the job just as well.
PACKAGING WINS CUSTOMERS AND LOSES THEM
Consumer attention to packaging is strikingly high. In fact, 91 per cent of consumers notice packaging, with 43 per cent paying regular, close attention to it. This attention matters commercially too. In the past 12 months, 45 per cent of consumers have deliberately chosen a brand because of its packaging, rising to 59 per cent among 18–29-year-olds, the most infl uenced age group.
Sustainability is also crucial. It matters to 75 per cent of European consumers, and especially to younger age groups, with 77 per cent of under-44s saying it is important to them. When people think of sustainability, more than half think fi rst of packaging and recycling (55 per cent).
The consequences of getting it wrong are equally signifi cant. Among 18–29-year-olds, 53 per cent have switched away from a brand over packaging concerns. Beyond switching, consumers are also walking away entirely with 38 per cent stopping purchasing a product in the last year due to packaging concerns.
SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING IS ONE THAT IS EASY TO RECYCLE
The recyclability and sustainability of packaging matter to more than half of European consumers. Setting price aside, they rank them as the most important purchasing factors. Specifi cally, easy disposal and recycling is prioritised by 56 per cent of consumers, while sustainability follows closely at 52 per cent. This refl ects a clear preference for packaging that can be disposed of simply and responsibly. Both factors comfortably outrank design and appearance, which scores just 18 per cent, underscoring how in 2026 function takes precedence over aesthetics in packaging decisions.
CONSUMERS WANT TO CHOOSE RECYCLED BOARD, BUT CAN’T IDENTIFY IT YET While awareness is growing, there is still room for more consumer education. Just over half of all respondents (54 per cent) said they understood the diff erence between recycled and virgin cartonboard, rising to 66 per cent in Italy but falling to 43 per cent in the UK.
“Every time a brand chooses recycled over virgin where a substitution is possible, it reduces pressure on natural resources and moves one step closer to a truly circular system. Consumers are paying attention, they are actively rewarding those choices and walking away from those that don’t align with their expectations. “The best fi bre is the fi bre that already exists. Our role as an industry is to keep it in use for as long as possible.”
RDM Group is encouraging brands and retailers to explore where recycled cartonboard can replace virgin materials across their packaging portfolios.
TWO PACKAGING OPTIONS. VERY DIFFERENT IMPACT.
When given a choice on equal terms, recycled cartonboard emerges as the clear consumer preference; twice as popular as glass and consistent across all six countries surveyed. 69 per cent of consumers choose recycled over virgin cartonboard when off ered the same packaging, and 80 per cent believe that brands using it appear more responsible.
Recycling is at the heart of this call, with consumers actively looking for signals to recycled and recyclable materials. 80 per cent say that visible signs of recycled cartonboard use would help brands demonstrate their environmental credentials and be perceived as more responsible. The message is clear: showing your packaging is made from recycled paper is both good practice and what consumers are asking for.
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April 2026
www.convertermag.com
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