Of the 1,600 people surveyed for the report, 75 percent said it was at least somewhat important that packaging be recyclable, while 51 percent felt it was at least somewhat important that it be compostable, meaning it breaks down with the presence of oxygen and water.
While brands have used recycled paper for years to contain cereal, pasta and other products, companies are increasingly taking additional steps to help the environment, such as reducing the weight or amount of packaging.
Kraft, which has a goal to cut packaging by 150 million pounds by 2011, shrank the amount of plastic used in each Kraft salad dressing bottle by 19 percent last year, a change that will save more than 3 million pounds annually, said Roger Zellner, Kraft’s director of sustainability for research, development and quality. Their Oscar Mayer Deli Creations cut cardboard use 30 percent per package this year.
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