Sustainable Packaging Trends 2025: What Consumers Really Want

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McKinsey's Study Sustainable Packaging Trends 2025: Inside the Minds of Global Consumers

Introduction

A new McKinsey & Company study, Sustainable Packaging Trends 2025: Inside the Minds of Global Consumers, surveyed over 11,000 consumers across 11 countries revealing a complex reality about sustainable packaging — one that every brand needs to understand.

While environmental impact ranks lower than price, quality, and food safety in purchasing decisions, half of all consumers still rate it as extremely or very important. This number hasn't dropped — it's remained steady since 2020. What's changed is that consumers now care more about other factors like value for money, not that they care less about sustainability.

What Consumers Want (And Don't Agree On)

There's clear consensus on one thing: recyclability matters most. Across every country surveyed, recyclability topped the list of sustainability traits consumers value.

But here's where it gets interesting — consumers in different countries view packaging materials very differently. Glass and paper(board) rank high everywhere, but PET bottles? They're seen as sustainable in countries with strong recycling systems like Germany and Japan, yet rank poorly in the United States where collection rates are lower.

The takeaway? Sustainable packaging isn't one-size-fits-all.

Who's Willing to Pay More?

Despite economic pressures, significant segments of consumers will pay premiums for sustainable packaging — particularly younger consumers (Gen Z and millennials) and higher-income groups. In Germany, for example, 25% of high-income millennials are willing to pay substantially more, compared to just 1% of high-income Gen Xers.

This creates clear opportunities for brands that understand their target demographics.

The Responsibility Falls on Us

Perhaps most importantly, consumers across all countries agree on who should drive sustainable packaging forward: brand owners and packaging producers. They're placing this responsibility squarely on industry shoulders — not on regulators, retailers, or themselves.

What This Means for Brands

At Diamond, we see three critical implications:

1. Segment smartly: Target sustainable packaging solutions to demographics most willing to pay — don't try to be everything to everyone.
2. Think locally: What's considered sustainable varies by region, based on local recycling infrastructure and consumer understanding.
3. Lead proactively: Consumers expect brands to drive change, creating both responsibility and opportunity for those who act first.

The message is clear: sustainability in packaging isn't fading, it's evolving. Brands that take a data-driven, granular approach to understanding their specific consumers and markets will be the ones who win.

Next Steps

Want to discuss how these insights apply to your packaging strategy? Let's talk about creating solutions that resonate with your target consumers.