As sustainability continues to shape purchasing habits, a new pan-European survey has found that 66% 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 findings underpin RDM Group’s latest campaign challenging brands and retailers to rethink one of the most fundamental choices in packaging: whether virgin fibre 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% of consumers notice packaging, with 43% paying regular, close attention to it. This attention matters commercially too. In the past 12 months, 45% of consumers have deliberately chosen a brand because of its packaging, rising to 59% among 18–29-year-olds, the most influenced age group.
Sustainability is also crucial. It matters to 75% of European consumers, and especially to younger age groups, with 77% of under-44s saying it is important to them. When people think of sustainability, more than half think first of packaging and recycling (55%).
The consequences of getting it wrong are equally significant. Among 18–29-year-olds, 53% have switched away from a brand over packaging concerns. Beyond switching, consumers are also walking away entirely with 38% 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 as them as most important purchasing factors. Specifically, easy disposal and recycling is prioritised by 56% of consumers, while sustainability follows closely at 52%. This reflects a clear preference for packaging that can be disposed of simply and responsibly. Both factors comfortably outrank design and appearance, which scores just 18%, underscoring how in 2026 function takes precedence over aesthetics in packaging decisions.
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% of consumers choose recycled over virgin cartonboard when offered the same packaging, and four out of five 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% 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.
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 respondents (54%) said they understood the difference between recycled and virgin cartonboard, rising to 66% in Italy but falling to 43% in the UK.
RDM Group, one of Europe’s leading cartonboard producers, is calling on brands to actively choose recycled cartonboard wherever substitution is possible. Such a shift can reduce demand for fresh fibre, lower energy and water use, and cut overall environmental impact ﹣without sacrificing packaging performance.
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 fibre.
“For too long, the default choice in packaging has been to start from scratch, to use virgin fibre even in applications where it simply isn’t necessary,” said Krzysztof Krajewski, Chief Sustainability and Innovation Officer 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?’ 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 fibre is the fibre 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. Find the full survey findings here and watch the full campaign video here.
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