How much do we care about ocean plastic? Awareness is growing. Big time

Despite what it looks like down at the beach, mainstream consumers are now more concerned about ocean plastic than climate change

An online survey, fielded by sustainability marketers, Shelton Group in March of 2019, has confirmed a number of key changes in consumer mindsets that should have vendors of sustainability products doubling their inventory.

First of all, before you green greenies go getting antsy about the technical point that climate change is the umbrella issue, or that this is a USA survey, it's important to understand the significance of this work as it translates effectively to any western country (even as they are the only ones with a Trump in charge). 

There were many significant take outs from this poll that are good news about changing mindsets and the ripple effect of people not actually falling down stone dead or the economy grinding to a halt when single use plastic bags are taken away:

• The banning of plastics correlates to a rise in awareness of their environmental impact
• Awareness of ocean plastic and climate change have passed 50% of the middle American population
• Around 65% of people are concerned about ocean plastic and 58% about climate change
• More than one third of Americans are beyond aware. They are activated.

Plastic bans make people more aware of plastic generally

Despite all kinds of predictions about consumers having to attend counselling with the nanny state bans on single use plastic bags, it turns out that concern about ocean plastics in particular, correlates with awareness of plastic bag bans. Any legislator or corporate bag banner, who stuck their neck out and supported plastic bag bans would have to be pretty stoked about that. 

Consumers view brands that limit plastic used in packaging more positively 

In another report on period products by the same group (Shelton), where it was noted that consumers are suspicious of brands that act in any ways that seem to suggest a lack of environmental stewardship. In the same way, when retailers minimise plastic use (think bags, cups, bottles etc), it has a positive impact on perception.

It's probably not surprising that consumers notice bags and take a way food packaging changes more than anything else as it's pretty much the most high touch, so changes made there make a big impact.

Half of consumers say they have made conscious changes to their lives around single use plastic

Bringing containers and bags to grocery stores is the big one, but so too is reducing single use plastic bottles with one third of the population going reusable. Avoiding plastic straws, single use plastic utensils and buying products packaged in materials other than plastic are also on the rise.  Paper and cardboard are the preferred alternatives to plastic packaging. 

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