More than half of Americans (56 percent) would like to have more sustainable options for the paper and packaging products they purchase, according to a new survey released by Asia Pulp and Paper (APP). Additionally, 42 percent of survey respondents indicate that they are willing to pay more for sustainable paper or products in sustainable packaging.

While preferences range across generations, a clear inclination towards more sustainable / eco-friendly options in paper and product packaging is emerging. According to the survey, 63 percent of Millennials indicate a strong preference for having more sustainable options in the paper and product packaging they purchase. This sentiment is also high among other generations, with more than half of both GenXers (51 percent) and Baby Boomers (55 percent) saying they would like to see a wider range of earth-friendly paper and product packaging options.

“The U.S. market is seeing an increasing number of Americans placing higher levels of importance on the role of sustainability – be it reused, recycled, certified, or deforestation-free materials – in a company’s product packaging and broader environmental practices,” said Ian Lifshitz, North American Director of Sustainability and Stakeholder Relations for Asia Pulp & Paper. “This is a fundamental and critical marketplace shift with significant implications for brands, particularly with regard to how they integrate environmental sustainability in the paper and product packaging they sell in the marketplace and, more broadly, across their supply chains and global operations.”

The survey also found that one-third of Americans say that conducting research into a company’s environmental practices before making a purchase is important to them. This number jumps to 50 percent when looking solely at Millennials and 31 percent of GenXers and 20 percent of Baby Boomers express similar sentiments.

Other notable findings include:

• Fifty-two percent of Millennials are willing to pay more for earth-friendly / deforestation-free / sustainable paper products or products in such packaging; 38 percent of GenXers and 36 percent of Baby Boomers also indicate they are willing to spend additional money on these types of products.
• Seventy-one percent of respondents say that a product’s sustainability attributes (such as chlorine-free, certified as deforestation-free, made from recycled materials) influence paper and package purchasing decisions; from a generational perspective, 83 percent of Millennials indicate that the sustainability attributes of a product influence purchasing decisions, while 68 percent and 62 percent of GenXers and Baby Boomers, respectively, also agree this is an important consideration.
• Nearly half, (47 percent) of Millennials say they are likely to consider whether a product is certified as deforestation-free when purchasing paper products, such as copy / printer paper, paper towels / napkins, magazines and books.

These results are based on 1,017 interviews, conducted online by ORC International from September 25-28, 2014 among a demographically representative U.S. sample of adults 18 years of age and older.

Lifshitz said that when APP set out to gauge and monitor sustainability, they weren’t surprised to learn that people are still using paper and were pleased that sustainability is top-of-mind.

“We all know the person who wants to hold the book, read the newspaper, unwrap that Christmas gift,” he said. “But what we noticed is that one of the key findings is that they’re looking for more sustainable solutions in that paper.”

Lifshitz added that as consumers are looking for more sustainable products, the industry is continually adapting and changing. It is striving to become “greener,” and both companies and end-users are looking at it as a “value proposition.”

“It’s no longer just nice to have,” he said. “It is becoming a key attribute. Consumers want the sustainable solutions and they’re willing to pay more for it.”

Consumers are more aware of sourcing, and so they are looking for assurances that the package they are paying for is coming from sustainable sources. “They’re looking at labeling, looking at certifications, and even looking at a company’s procurement policies,” he said. “They want to go beyond visible proof of sustainability. A standard green logo is great and valuable, but we see  other alternatives for sustainable papers that aren’t as visible, certified fiber sourcing, zero-deforestation polices, are now being recognized as equally important. Consumers are becoming more aware of these issues, and they are making extra effort to purchase sustainable products. More importantly, we also see the brands doing the same.”

Lifshitz added that consumers and brands need to start looking at sustainability from a holistic approach.

“We have the recycled content, the logos, and etc., but we need to look at the entire supply chain. Consumers need to look at the brand, and trust within the brand that they’ll have that sustainability.”

Lifshitz pointed out that, just a few years ago, packaging was disappearing. It wasn’t uncommon to see tubes of toothpaste on shelves that were not in a box. But, thanks to greener approaches to packaging, Lifshitz said there has been a resurgence that brands can capitalize on packaging that consumers respond too.

“It’s a changing landscape,” he said.