Many sustainability experts and consumers alike agree that we cannot sustain a society in which we continually make purchases and throw things away. This includes consumables that we use on a daily basis. This mentality extends beyond the product itself to its packaging. The food industry is one area where this dilemma reigns, and the snack and bakery sector would do well to rethink how they deliver products to consumers in order to tap into this growing concern about reducing waste in packaging.
While a majority of consumers are concerned about the wastefulness of our society, certain groups are more inclined to have a deeper level of concern. Since 2002, NMI has conducted an annual research study which provides a wealth of data regarding consumer propensity toward sustainability, and has segmented the U.S. general population into five distinct consumer segments, which range from the most “green” in terms of thoughts and actions (LOHAS—23 percent of the general population) to those who are not concerned at all about sustainability issues (Unconcerneds—28 percent of the general population). The list below shows the distinctions in opinions about the wastefulness of our current society, with LOHAS consumers clearly expressing overwhelming concern.