The impact of products on consumers depends decisively on the packaging and not least on the packaging material. The increased ecological awareness of consumers and the growing demand for organic, eco and fair trade products thus also require responsibly packaged products. In practice, however, this is often not the case. Suppliers of organic goods, natural cosmetics or eco-products distinguish themselves by their promise of sustainability, but this is not always reflected in the packaging. An example of this would be organic foods that are packaged like conventional products.
More Than Just a Matter of Content
How Organic Products Benefit from Folding Carton Packaging” was the subject of a study published in 2019 by Justus Liebig University Giessen. The study, which was conducted on behalf of FFI (Fachverband Faltschachtel-Industrie e.V.) and Pro Carton, showed that in most of the categories examined, organic products were perceived as higher quality, more credible, or more sustainable when they were offered in folding cartons rather than in the plastic packaging examined. The study examined nine product categories: coffee, cookies, granola, pasta, chocolate, soap, T-shirts, frozen vegetables, and pet food.
How Packaging Influences Product Perception
In the study, consumers rated organic products more positively in most categories when they were presented in folding cartons.
The study examined these correlations using a consumer survey. Furthermore, the study showed that for coffee, cookies, cereal, soap, and chocolate, the reported likelihood of purchasing organic products was higher for those in folding cartons than for the plastic packaging examined. Manufacturers can apply these findings to their packaging
FSC®-certified cardboard: It all comes down to where it comes from
Cardboard packaging can be recycled. We use FSC®-certified cardboard. As part of our FSC® chain-of-custody certification, we can label appropriately certified packaging with the relevant FSC® label in accordance with the applicable FSC® labeling rules.
FSC® stands for Forest Stewardship Council®. Depending on the label, the material used may include raw materials from FSC-certified forests, recycled materials, and/or controlled sources. If the label refers to the packaging, it does not indicate anything about its contents. Among other things, the FSC system establishes environmental and social requirements for certified forest management.
