Consumer survey on coffee packaging claims

We recently surveyed coffee consumers in the UK, Germany, France, Spain, and Italy to assess the most important criteria in their coffee purchasing decisions and the influence of packaging claims. The results showed that claims related to recyclability, easy opening, reduced plastic use, carbon footprint reduction, and compostability ranked highest in importance.

Easy-opening claims

Easy opening packaging ranked first in importance, with 60% of respondents indicating it influences their purchasing decision. This is crucial as 33% of consumers stated they wouldn’t repurchase a coffee pack if it wasn’t convenient to use. Difficult opening and closing were the main issues deterring consumers from repeat purchases.

Recyclability and reduced plastics claims

Over 57% of respondents cited recyclability and reduced plastic use as the most important claims for them. Specifically, 'recyclability' ranks particularly high in the UK, with 73% of UK shoppers grading this criterion as very important. Across Europe, recyclability is especially appealing to the 18-34 age group, who tend to be mindful of the environmental impact of their coffee purchases.

Amcor can help you meet consumers' demand for recyclability with both our AmPrima® Plus Recycle-Ready pouches and our Aluminum material for capsules stamping and lids. Aluminum can be recycled repeatedly without losing its intrinsic properties, maintaining circularity and is recognized by consumers as more sustainable than many other capsule materials.

Carbon footprint reduction

Carbon footprint was indicated it as an important claim by 49% of coffee shoppers. Additionally, 52% of European consumers identify global warming as their highest environmental concern, compared to 45% in 2020.

Carbon-neutral claims are also increasing, with several coffee companies announcing plans to become carbon neutral by 2030.

Amcor’s AmPrima® Plus Recycle-Ready range can help lower your packaging's carbon footprint by up to 73% compared to standard coffee packs. Suitable for all typical coffee pack formats and sizes, it offers the barrier, material stiffness, seal strength, graphics performance, and fast run speeds of traditional, non-recyclable packaging

The importance of credible claims

Providing credible claims on your packaging can demonstrate the value of your product, build trust with consumers, differentiate your brand, and increase sales. However, with the saturation of claims, coffee brands should carefully select those that are authentic, verifiable, and impactful. This is particularly important with the forthcoming EU Green Claims Directive which will set out much stricter guidelines for sustainability claims that brands can make to consumers.

Understand your pack's environmental impact

Clearing up the confusion surrounding sustainability claims starts with fully understanding the environmental impact of your packaging. ASSET™ life cycle assessments use a Carbon Trust-certified life cycle assessment model to determine the carbon footprint of different packaging options, providing visibility into the true impact of various choices. To support your efforts to reduce carbon emissions, Amcor can help you secure a 'Reducing CO2 Packaging' label from the Carbon Trust, aligning your products with consumers' values. Qualification for this label is based on demonstrating a carbon footprint reduction of 20% or more.