Younger eneration is becoming the core force driving the growth of demand for sustainable packaging

McKinsey & Company's latest research shows that the younger generation (especially Generation Z and Millennials) is more willing to pay a premium for sustainable packaging, while food safety and shelf life remain the core factors affecting consumer purchasing decisions.

The survey covered 11 countries and more than 11,000 respondents, and deeply analyzed consumers' preferences in product categories, packaging materials and sales channels. The report is segmented by country and provides refined insights for different demographic groups (such as income level, region, gender and age).

The main survey results show that the younger generation has the highest acceptance of premiums for sustainable packaging, especially high-income groups. Taking Germany as an example, McKinsey pointed out that 25% of high-income Generation Z consumers are willing to pay "more" for sustainable packaging, while this proportion is only 1% among Generation X consumers at the same income level.

However, the survey shows that food safety (10 out of 11 countries ranked it as the top factor) and shelf life (9 countries ranked it as the second most important factor) are still the most critical packaging characteristics in global consumer purchasing decisions. In contrast, environmental impact is significantly less important, ranking only sixth among the seven characteristics in all 11 countries. In addition, consumers pay more attention to other factors such as cost-effectiveness than in previous years.

The survey also found that consumers of all ages believe that brands and packaging manufacturers should bear the main responsibility for sustainable packaging, rather than governments or individual consumers. This phenomenon is particularly evident in Mexico, India, France and the United Kingdom, where 44%, 40%, 37% and 37% of respondents respectively attributed the responsibility to brands.

Daniel Nordigården, partner at McKinsey, commented: "Our research shows that while young and high-income consumers are willing to pay a premium for sustainable packaging, there is no universal solution. Brands and packagers must adopt data-driven proactive strategies to meet these subtle and evolving needs."

Related news, another recent McKinsey survey shows that due to economic uncertainty, lifestyle changes and knowledge gaps, American consumers currently value packaging costs, convenience, shelf life and other factors more than sustainability. The survey pointed out that consumers' attention to product prices and quality continues to rise, and more than 70% of respondents said these factors are "very important" or "relatively important" in their consumption decisions.

In March, Pro Carton (European Carton Industry Association) released the "2025 European Consumer Packaging Perception Study", showing that the cost of living has become the primary factor affecting consumer behavior, followed by climate change. The study also pointed out that consumers' confidence in recycling knowledge has increased, and 84% of respondents said they can accurately distinguish recyclable materials.