Are consumers ready for the cost of sustainability? The trade-off of convenient versus sustainable packaging

: an analysis of Haribo’s Goldbears

Abstract

The need to combat global warming and climate change is now beyond dispute. It is well acknowledged that one of the primary contributors to this societal issue is modern disposal methods. As a result, one solution is the creation of environmentally friendly packaging. Customers are demanding more goods with sustainable qualities, including packaging, as a result of growing consumer awareness of environmental and social issues. Indeed, consumers are increasingly likely to take a brand’s social and environmental initiatives into account when choosing a product. Finding an ideal balance between usability and sustainability is therefore a challenge for marketers. In this vein, waste management is a sustainable packaging strategy that meets customers’ top environmental concerns.This study attempts to identify the various elements, including packaging (convenient vs. sustainable), that affect consumers’ desire to buy products. Online respondents were exposed to various packaging images of a wine gum (Haribo Goldbears) as part of an exploratory study. The amount of material used varied among the packages. These stimuli were created using research from interviews and the existing literature.According to the results, consumers’ purchase intentions were not considerably impacted by the packaging’s sustainability or convenience. Instead, consumer environmental attitudes were found to have an impact on perceived value and purchasing intention.

Date of Award	3 Jul 2023
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	Universidade Católica Portuguesa
Supervisor	Paulo Romeiro (Supervisor)