A nationally representative survey of 2,062 UK adults found that nearly three-quarters of respondents (74%) believed the government should encourage the use of compostable packaging.
Almost two-thirds (64%) also said financial incentives should be provided where renewable packaging options cost more than fossil-based plastics, indicating broad backing for policy intervention.
The report suggested that a public appetite for change at a time when packaging policy is undergoing reform through measures such as Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), the Plastic Packaging Tax (PPT) and the forthcoming Circular Economy Growth Plan.
Jen Vanderhoven, Chief Executive Officer at BBIA and Project Lead for BB-REG-NET said: “The findings reveal the British public wants to act more sustainably.
“To capitalise on this support, we must see stronger alignment between policy, regulatory standards and industry to build consistent and fair systems, which do not penalise bio-based and biodegradable materials.”
Availability and disposal confusion remain key barriers
While support in principle is high, the research shows a gap between attitudes and behaviour.
Just 27% of respondents said they had intentionally purchased products packaged in compostable materials in the past year.
Limited availability, unclear disposal routes and higher prices were cited as the main barriers.
More generally, 53% of respondents said it was important to find products packaged in the most environmentally friendly way, and 52% said better information about packaging materials would influence their purchasing decisions.
Confusion was particularly evident around flexible plastics such as crisp packets and bread bags.
Some 45% of respondents incorrectly believed these materials can be recycled at kerbside, despite limited provision by local authorities.
Previous evidence suggests a large proportion of soft plastics collected via supermarket drop-off schemes are ultimately sent for incineration rather than recycled.
Cost gap leaves bio-based materials at disadvantage
According to BB-REG-NET, bio-based raw materials typically cost two to three times more than fossil-based equivalents, and existing measures do little to offset this.
Fossil-based plastics containing at least 30% recycled content are exempt from the PPT, while materials made entirely from renewable sources receive no equivalent recognition.
Under EPR, compostable materials certified to recognised standards are currently classified as “not recyclable”, but analysis suggested that even if bio-based products were exempt from all fees, they would remain more expensive on average than fossil-based alternatives.
Key recommendations from the report included:
- Consistent sector-wide labelling to reduce consumer confusion
- Uniform collection routes for compostable materials
- Regulatory recognition of composting as a legitimate end-of-life pathway
- Investment in composting infrastructure to match public demand
Scaling this industry could result in the growth of sector into a £204 billion annual industry, the network stated.
Eilidh O’Connor, Head of Environmental at Vegware, commented: “Consumer demand is an important driver of progress, particularly in building collection and processing infrastructure, and it’s encouraging to see such strong public support reflected in this study.
“To unlock genuine, system-wide change, policy needs to evolve in step with that demand.”
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