Six in 10 nut consumers say recyclable packaging would make them more likely to buy a product, according to new research from Amcor.
The study surveyed 2041 nut purchasers across Germany, the Netherlands, Spain and the UK to examine the factors influencing purchasing decisions.
While taste and flavour (23 per cent) remained the biggest driver of purchases, followed by price (20 per cent) and health or nutritional value (17 per cent), the research found packaging sustainability also played a role.
According to the study, 62 per cent of respondents said recyclable packaging would make them more likely to buy a nut product. The figure was highest in the UK (70 per cent) and Spain (67 per cent), and strongest among consumers aged 18–35.
The research also found 60 per cent of respondents said packaging containing recycled content would make them more likely to buy a nut product, rising to 69 per cent in the UK.
One in five consumers (20 per cent) selected recyclable packaging as the sustainability claim most likely to influence their purchasing decision. Amcor said 62 per cent of respondents were also willing to pay at least 3 per cent more for products in recyclable packaging.
The company said the findings come as regulatory requirements around packaging recyclability increase, including modulated Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) fees in the UK from 2026 and the EU's Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which will require most packaging, including food packaging, to be designed for recycling by 2030.
Sarah Neerkorn, market insights manager at Amcor, said sustainability was becoming an increasingly important factor alongside price and taste.
"Beyond core factors such as price and taste, sustainability can directly shape preference and behaviour at the checkout. The majority of consumers (62 per cent) said recyclable packaging would make them more likely to buy the product. In a world where consumers have more choice than ever before, sustainability factors are becoming significant and powerful influencers on nut choices."
Neerkorn said, "That's why Amcor developed the AmPrima mono-material solutions for nuts to stay ahead of this change and the fast-approaching Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). AmPrima offers flexible packaging solutions that are recycle-ready today in most European countries."
