With European Bag Day closing in this week, Paper Bag Co were interested in the different countries around Europe and how they compared in terms of interest for sustainable packaging. Their team looked at Google data to reveal which countries were searching for the term ‘sustainable packaging’ in their respective countries and languages the most and combined the data with each country's recycling rate.
The research shows that Northern Europe (Norway, the UK, Republic of Ireland, Denmark and Sweden) tend to Google terms around sustainable packaging more than their counterparts. This is combined with an above European average recycling rate (43% for Northern Europe vs 33% for the dataset as a whole), showing perhaps an increased awareness of how packaging impacts the environment and how more sustainable alternatives can help.
Germany is by far the best nation when it comes to their recycling rate, but there is an interestingly lower number of people searching for sustainable packaging solutions for their businesses when compared to other nations close to them both geographically and in terms of population. This could indicate a lack of awareness, but also perhaps that sustainable packaging practices are already so integrated into day to day business life that it is almost assumed that packaging in Germany will be ‘sustainable’.
The UK’s recycling rate is not particularly impressive when compared to some of their counterparts in terms of population size, but in general there is high volume when it comes to the amount of people searching for sustainable packaging.
Longer term Google Trends data shows that ‘sustainable packaging’ as a term is growing in the UK showing a 93% increase from October 2018 to 2024. This increase in volume shows plenty of growth opportunities amongst UK businesses to expand into sustainable packaging, which can be more effectively recycled. This will help increase the recycling rate and as a result sustainable competitiveness with the rest of Europe.
How can sustainable packaging help the environment?
Sustainable packaging makes recycling a breeze by using simple, easy-to-separate materials and clear labels. Unlike old-school packaging that’s a nightmare to sort, sustainable options often use single materials, so tossing them in the right bin is a no-brainer. This little extra convenience means more people join the recycling party, boosting rates and cutting down on landfill clutter.
Not only does it make recycling easier, but sustainable packaging is a win for the planet too! Made from biodegradable, compostable, or renewable materials, it ditches the harmful chemicals and excess plastic. This helps lower pollution and conserve precious resources, all while shrinking our carbon footprint. It’s a feel-good, eco-friendly solution that keeps our world greener and helps create a circular economy where nothing goes to waste!