Have you ever opened up a product and feel like you’re presented with a puzzle of packaging to figure out what’s recyclable and what’s not? Sure, you should carefully scan each item and determine which one can go into the blue bin and which can’t, but it’s not always that easy. And even a seemingly small obstacle such as this is enough to tempt someone to simply throw packaging away. After all, consumers know they should recycle—it just doesn’t mean they always do.
Richard Parker, Principal Analyst at GlobalData, explained why people don’t always act on that impulse to put something in the recycling bin. “Consumers are engaged in a never-ending pursuit of greater convenience—particularly due to on-the-go lifestyles or perceptions of time-scarcity,” he said. So if recycling is simple and straightforward, brands are less likely to make a negative impact on Mother Earth.
“Recycling really needs to be easy and quick,” Richard stated. “If it isn’t for any reason, then it’s easy for consumers to give it a miss.”
