Gen Z speaks: Wasteful packaging

The WhatPackaging? team spoke to five members of Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) to understand their perceptions on packaging sustainability.

Among the key concerns they raised was the use of individual plastic packets within larger packaging, as highlighted by Navya Sridhar, an undergraduate biology student at Azim Premji University (APU), Bengaluru. She cited Maggi and other instant noodles as examples, deeming the practice an "extremely unnecessary step" and a waste of plastic.

Arnav Kuppachi, a music and music production student at Whistling Woods International, Mumbai, was unhappy with the multi-layered plastic packaging of lollipops, finding it excessive and difficult to unwrap.

Siddharth Nair, an alumnus of APU, voiced his dislike for paper bags due to their lack of durability and questioned the fundamental need for packaging itself, especially for items not travelling long distances. He linked the demand for "hand carry" packaging to a "need to hoard things," an insecurity he believes is fueled by the current supply and demand dynamics that impact prices and quality.

Taru Shahi, an undergraduate design student at the Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, Vadodara, found the triple-wrapping of items for aesthetic purposes "very annoying" and advocated for simpler alternatives like using newspaper for flowers instead of cellophane sheets.

Anshuman Das, a literature and cultural studies student at Flame University, Pune, strongly disliked the trend of wrapping everything in plastic, preferring paper and jute packaging. He emphasised the environmental impacts of plastic and argued that plastic-packaged products "sever the human link" in the process of making and buying goods, removing "humanity from the product."

Anadya Mittal, an alumna of the Vidya Valley School and Sahyadri School in Pune, shared her aversion to the excessive amount of packaging that comes with new purchases, including "boxes inside boxes," and questioned the reasons behind such practices. She particularly disliked the unnecessary wrapping of items in plastic "for the sake of it," even when plastic packaging is not required.

Ernst & Young’s Generational Sustainability Survey 2023 said, “50% of all the respondents, across generations, pointed to the cost of achieving a sustainable lifestyle as the primary barrier for increased sustainability. They also said the lack of tangible sustainability knowledge is the next biggest barrier.”

According to this report, social media has emerged as the primary source of information on all things sustainability.     

Additionally, Gen Z is often referred to as the “eco-conscious” generation. But, according to a WhatPackaging? survey conducted in November 2024, and other sources, we may be a long way from any meaningful effort toward the lofty goal of sustainability.

In terms of consumer education, only 16% of the respondents admitted to being able to distinguish between the types of plastic that are used in packaging. Just 37.5% of them said they could distinguish between the recyclability criteria for different types of packaging materials, like plastics and corrugated boards. This shows a gap in how educated the general public is about sustainability. 

The message is clear: these Gen Z perspectives underscore a growing awareness and concern about the environmental impact of packaging and a desire for more mindful and less wasteful approaches from manufacturers and brands.