Packaging Study: Consumers Accept Surcharges and Targeted Bans
71% remain committed to sustainable packaging despite economic pressures
sustainability is regaining ground when it comes to price. 60 percent of German consumers are generally willing to pay a premium for more sustainable product packaging—six percentage points more than last year. This is shown by the “Sustainable Product Packaging” study conducted by the global strategy consulting firm Simon-Kucher. At the same time, consumers set strict limits on the premium: 30 percent would pay no more than five percent extra for sustainably packaged products, relative to the total product price. “Manufacturers should not be too quick to view this limited willingness to pay as an obstacle,” says Dr. Daniel Bornemann, Senior Partner at Simon-Kucher. “More sustainable packaging can significantly increase the value of the overall product. However, the additional costs often remain manageable.”
“Age groups are drifting apart”
While the vast majority (83 percent) of those under 25 are willing to pay more, this applies to only about half (51 percent) of those over 54. The gap between the age groups has thus widened by 12 percentage points since 2025. “Age groups are drifting apart—this makes brand communication and pricing significantly more challenging for manufacturers,” says Mark-Daniel Rentschler, Senior Director at Simon-Kucher.
Sustainability Must Be Visible at First Glance
Nearly one in two (49 percent) recognizes sustainable packaging primarily by its minimal use of materials. Clear recycling instructions are also a key identifying feature. Official environmental labels, on the other hand, play a lesser role (26 percent). At the same time, 12 percent say they cannot reliably identify sustainable packaging based on their own assessment. “What consumers don’t recognize immediately falls flat,” explains Stephanie Sparber, Senior Director at Simon-Kucher.
Regulation, Yes—But No Clear Preferences for Specific Measures
Consumers generally support policy measures against packaging waste but prefer targeted interventions. It appears that the more a measure affects daily life or convenience, the more reluctant people are to accept it. The highest level of support (37 percent) goes to bans on certain single-use packaging and requirements to reduce empty space (35 percent). Support for extending the deposit requirement to other types of packaging is significantly lower (25 percent). For Sparber, one thing is clear: “Not every measure is equally convincing. For companies, it’s crucial to translate regulatory requirements into solutions that are understandable to consumers and practical for everyday use.”
“Price pressure isn’t shifting priorities”
Inflation, high energy prices, and geopolitical tensions are not causing consumers to lose sight of sustainable packaging altogether. For 71 percent, the issue remains at least as important as before. “Price pressure does not shift priorities. Manufacturers must communicate the added value of sustainable packaging so clearly that they can convince even the undecided,” summarizes Bornemann.
About the Study
The representative study “Sustainable Product Packaging” was conducted for the sixth time in May 2026 by Simon-Kucher in collaboration with the market research institute YouGov. A total of 2,108 consumers in Germany were surveyed about their attitudes, expectations, and willingness to pay regarding sustainable packaging.
Note: This article has been translated using a computer system without human intervention. LUMITOS offers these automatic translations to present a wider range of current news. Since this article has been translated with automatic translation, it is possible that it contains errors in vocabulary, syntax or grammar. The original article in German can be found here.
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