Popularity of bio-based e-commerce packaging in the U.S. 2023, by age

Bio-based packaging materials are more sustainable than the plastic equivalent ones, although the consumer awareness about these innovative packaging formats and materials is still quite low, a U.S. survey showed in 2023. While roughly 40 percent of shoppers valued biodegradable packaging peanuts used in e-commerce deliveries, cornstarch or mushroom packaging were supported by a much lower share of U.S. shoppers. Gen Z respondents between 18 and 24 years old were the most supportive of bio-based materials, with 31 percent of them supporting cornstarch packaging and 30 percent of them stating the same for mushroom packaging. Seaweed was the least popular, with 16 percent of shoppers appreciating this material, on average.