Environmentally friendly packaging and green supply chain practices are important to most online shoppers, according to a new study from Dotcom Distribution, a provider of fulfillment and logistics services for both emerging and established brands.
The study, which surveyed over 500 online shoppers about their packaging preferences, found that 57 percent of consumers say that green packaging is important to them and 61 percent of consumers have considered green packaging when deciding where to shop.
“Today’s consumers are environmentally aware, and making changes to become more environmentally friendly is one of the best things you can do as a brand,” said Maria Haggerty, CEO of Dotcom Distribution. “Brands that are not able to make sustainable changes themselves should look to third-party logistics providers that can help implement these changes in a cost-effective way.”
Survey respondents noted that they’re also concerned about individual retailers’ carbon footprints. The study found that 55 percent of shoppers have considered an online retailer’s overall carbon footprint when deciding where to shop, and 64 percent have considered supply chain practices, like low-impact shipping processes, when deciding between brands.
As major retailers like Apple begin to address these issues, it’s important that emerging brands also consider environmentally friendly practices to attract and retain loyal customers. While Apple recently bought 36,000 acres of forest to sustainably produce packaging, smaller brands can still make a difference by implementing changes that are less drastic. Haggerty argues that green packaging doesn’t always take the form of a plain brown box.
“Green packaging comes in many forms, and retailers can consider various different factors like inks, source materials and recyclability when deciding to make environmentally friendly changes,” said Haggerty. “For brands looking to reduce their carbon footprints but lack the resources to do so, implementing one or two small, cost-effective changes will still make a big difference.”
Source: Dotcom Distribution
