ECO trends in the e-commerce market
2020-10-07
Until lately, price used to be on top factors influencing purchase decisions. The product’s origins, its aptness to the creed of sustainability, and at times even quality have been playing secondary roles. The market, though, is constantly evolving, and consumers’ expectations never fail to follow.
Now, the unmeasurable values are ones that mean the most in many cases. One of them is eco-friendliness. As eco awareness keeps rising, the more impact on consumers comes from “green” solutions, both in the meaning of product itself, the way it’s produced, packed, and delivered as well. So, here’s a short glance on what current eco trends in e-commerce segment are dominating now or soon will be.
Where the containers go afterwards
As shows a global survey by Nielsen, over 40% of online buyers feel frustrated by the excess amount of packaging used by retailers, while 15% of respondents most care about the packaging’s recyclability. Growth of eco awareness now reaches far beyond those most developed countries and societies. Even in Eastern Europe around 50% of consumers tend to choose a recyclable over a cheaper one.
Eco bottles rPET, 200 ml
Sustainability compromise
E-commerce experts claim sustainability and social responsibility to be shaping the entire development of packaging industry in the next few years. The core here is finding a middle ground between satisfying the customers’ expectations while balancing ECO and social responsibility. In numbers, Unilever’s recent survey reveals 33% customers prefer brands, that (at least allegedly), show clear pro-social and pro-eco performance.
A double win
Recent market shifts show that customers currently tend to alter their preferences in favour of eco products, at best in biodegradable or other “green” packaging, this way making a substantial contribution to the eco initiative at minimum own effort.
Brands looking to fit the trend receive a hit a double win. First, creating an image of a modern, socially engaged company, and second, leveraging the technology to personalize the packaging and create attractive design. All this allows to build the so-called eco narration, a sort of additional value that customers rarely hesitate to pay for.
Pro-eco packaging
Corrugated board is now the king of secondary packaging in the e-commerce area for its guaranteed eco design and comprehensive functionality. Simplified packaging systems are also gaining on popularity aimed at making product recycling much easier.
Multi-use packaging is another solution of the near future, where brands may take the packaging back from the customers to use again. We’ve already witnessed this approach tested by Zalando in the Netherlands and by Häagen-Dazs as part of their Loop project.
The store packaging genesis, materials and recyclability is currently another hot topic. Customers no more stay indifferent about the environment impact, and neither can be the brands anymore. Minimizing waste polluting the planet is a challenge the global society not only has to, but is now ready and consciously willing to beat.
