Survey shows that most Finns are satisfied with their own recycling habits - people aged over 65 have a more positive attitude towards recycling than young people

HUHTAMÄKI OYJ PRESS RELEASE 30.5.2024 AT 09:30 EEST

Over 80 per cent of Finnish consumers think that they recycle enough, and 40 per cent also say they would be willing to pay extra for sustainable packaging. 

A survey commissioned by Huhtamaki reveals that most Finns are satisfied with their own recycling habits, and say that they recycle the most common packaging materials. More than 80 per cent of those  across all age groups say that they recycle paper-based packaging, and as many as nine out of ten recycle cardboard boxes. 

“More than 80 per cent of respondents feel that they recycle enough or nearly enough. The independent survey found that women are more enthusiastic recyclers than men, but somewhat surprisingly, people aged over 65 have a more positive attitude towards recycling than young people. Traditionally, young people are assumed to be the forerunners in this area,” says Salla Ahonen, Executive Vice President, Sustainability and Communications at Huhtamaki. 

Consumers consider sustainable packaging to be important. More than one in three respondents said they would be willing to pay a little bit extra for more sustainable packaging, and eight per cent would be willing to pay significantly more for a product that was packaged sustainably. Older respondents also stood out regarding price and would be more willing than  younger respondents to pay extra for sustainable packaging, which could be attributed to higher disposable income. 

“40 per cent of consumers surveyed, responded favourably saying they are willing to pay more for sustainable produced or sourced goods . It’s significant that Finns still consider product sustainability to be important in an era when households are under increased economic pressure,” Ahonen says. 

Fiber-based packaging is a consumer favourite – effort required to increase awareness 

The evolving landscape of heightened consumer expectations and regulatory changes are shaping the future of packaging solutions. 

When asked about packaging materials for food, beverages and household goods, 67 per cent of those surveyed wanted to see fiber-based, paper-based or cardboard-based materials being used in packaging. Women and the over-50s in particular advocated the use of fiber-based materials in packaging. One in two also wanted to increase the use of recyclable plastic.  

“In the survey, respondents shared that they are likely to recycle the packaging used for both takeouts and home deliveries. However, more transparency, information and clear instructions are still required with respect to recycling messaging when eating out. For example, consumers want to know how recycling works in restaurants and are interested to understand more about the environmental impact of different types of food service packaging. This survey shows that everyone in our sector must keep working together to create functional recycling systems that are as comprehensive as possible and provide easy-to-understand guidelines and messaging for consumers,” says Ahonen. 

Huhtamaki commissioned Aula Research to conduct independent and an anonymous digital survey during the period 5–13 March 2024. There were a total of 1,483 respondents, and the target groups were over-18s living in mainland Finland. 

For further information, please contact: 

Maria Tomminen, Senior Manager, Media Relations, tel. +358 (10) 686 7000 

HUHTAMÄKI OYJ 
 

About Huhtamaki 

Huhtamaki is a leading global provider of sustainable packaging solutions for consumers around the world. Our innovative products protect on-the-go and on-the-shelf food and beverages, and personal care products, ensuring hygiene and safety, driving accessibility and affordability, and helping prevent food waste. We embed sustainability in everything we do. We are committed to achieving carbon neutral production and designing all our products to be recyclable, compostable or reusable by 2030. Our blueloopTM sustainable packaging solutions are world-leading and designed for circularity. 

We are a participant in the UN Global Compact, Huhtamaki is rated ‘A’ on the MSCI ESG Ratings assessment and EcoVadis has awarded Huhtamaki with the Gold medal for performance in sustainability. To play our part in managing climate change, we have set science-based targets that have been approved and validated by the Science-Based Targets initiative. 

With 100 years of history and a strong Nordic heritage we operate in 37 countries and 107 operating locations around the world. Our values Care Dare Deliver guide our decisions and help our team of around 18 000 employees make a difference where it matters. Our 2023 net sales totalled EUR 4.2 billion. Huhtamaki Group is headquartered in Espoo, Finland and our parent company, Huhtamäki Oyj, is listed on Nasdaq Helsinki Ltd. Find out more about how we are protecting food, people and the planet at www.huhtamaki.com.