HARLEYSVILLE, Pa.—Consumers like the idea of biodegradable packaging, according to the Natural Marketing Institute’s (NMI) LOHAS Consumer Trends Database. A total of 88 percent think it's important for packaging to be biodegradable, and nearly half would prefer biodegradable packaging over recyclable packaging. Some companies are already poised to capitalize on this trend, such as Sun Chips which will have fully compostable bags by 2010.
Only 27 percent of consumers compost regularly, and few communities currently offer compost pickup. Nevertheless, packaging waste is one of consumers' top sustainability concerns, and using alternate environmentally friendly materials grabs consumers' attention and provides new ways to make them feel like they are making a tangible reduction in their environmental impact.