This article is brought to you by Ronpak Inc.

Consumers care about sustainability and are making an effort to be more environmentally conscious, according to a 2024 survey from Bain & Company. The report found that:

• 60% of consumers said their concerns about climate change have intensified in the past two years.

• 76% said practicing a sustainable lifestyle is important because it has an impact.

• 53% are reducing their consumption and waste through recycling.

• 47% said paper is their preferred grocery packaging material.

• 28% of those who started buying sustainable products credited awareness campaigns by brands or retailers.

“Retailers need to pay attention to the sustainability demands of consumers and offer sustainable packaging to address the desires of their increasingly environmentally conscious customer base,” said Jerry Fajardo, director of national accounts, West, at Ronpak, a manufacturer of custom paper bags and food wraps for retailers.

According to Ronpak, many consumers will take note of which businesses are engaging in sustainable practices, which could impact how they perceive a retailer and become a differentiator for where they spend their dollars.

“When packaging addresses environmental concerns, consumers personally feel they have a hand in protecting the climate and environment,” Fajardo said. “As more and more consumers become conscious of a restaurant’s environmental impact, it is a strong plus when the packaging print declares its recycled content and shows its sustainable certifications along with whether it can be composted and/or recycled.”

Fajardo said that Ronpak’s customers have been increasingly requesting compostable packaging that’s certified through the Biodegradable Packaging Institute (BPI). The company has packaging solutions that use recycled paper and are certified by the Sustainable Forestry Initiative (SFI) and Forest Stewardship Council (FSC), which guarantees the sustainable harvesting of the paper fiber used to make the packaging.

The company is also currently developing bio-based wax alternative flat wraps, compostable foil bags and paper-to-paper laminating bags that have a similar heat retention performance as a traditional foil bag.

“One of Ronpak’s core values is that we ‘walk the talk’ in matters of sustainability,” said Fajardo. “We believe our business can have a positive impact in this area and we endeavor to work with our customers to achieve this.”

As many sustainability initiatives may also be dictated by state and local governments, with more legislation coming down the pike in 2025, Ronpak said it can also work with retailers to design packaging that meets local requirements. “We are very tapped in to where sustainable packaging is heading in the next year to five-to-10 years and have teams that can provide pertinent information to our customers and prospects on how to address impending sustainable packaging initiatives,” said Fajardo.

This is the second in a two-part series on Ronpak. Read part one here.