77% of Americans Say It's on CPG Brands to Make Sure Their Packaging Gets Recycled

Experts estimate that roughly 8 million metric tons of plastic makes its way into the ocean every year—and that by 2050, there'll be more plastic than fish in the water. So whose fault is it? There's no easy answer to that question, of course. But to find out how consumers feel about it, Adweek teamed up with Morning Consult to poll 2,200 American adults early last week. Given the failure of recycling and waste systems to keep plastic out of the environment, we asked respondents who they thought should be held responsible, whether companies should be penalized for contributing to plastic pollution and whether respondents were confident in their own abilities to recycle properly. Here's what we found: More than three-quarters of Americans hold companies responsible for plastic waste The highest percentage of respondents (77%) said consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies' responsibility to ensure that their products and packaging are recyclable and do not contribute to pollution—but for the most part, consumers see the responsibility as one that should be shared. Restaurants, supermarkets and stores that sell CPGs came in a close second, with 76% of respondents casting responsibility on them. Beyond that, 72% said it's up to individual citizens, 68% said state governments are responsible, 67% said the federal government is responsible and 66% said schools are. Fewer than half of respondents said the responsibility falls on the news media (49%) and law enforcement (48%). A majority of respondents (62%) said companies should be doing more to ensure their packaging is recyclable and minimize their impact on the environment. Companies should be penalized for contributing to plastic pollution Most respondents (81%) said they were concerned about CPG companies littering in or polluting public places. Just over three quarters (76%) are concerned with the way CPG companies treat animals and wildlife, 75% are concerned about these companies using single-use materials, 73% are concerned about each water and recycling materials and 69% are concerned about companies using genetically modified ingredients. Nearly 6-in-10 respondents (59%) believe companies that fail to ensure their packaging is recyclable and minimize overall environmental impact should be financially or legally penalized. Fewer than one-fifth (17%) said they shouldn't be penalized, and 23% said they didn't know or didn't have an opinion. Despite systemic problems, Americans are confident they can recycle According to the Environmental Protection Agency, less than 9% of plastic was recycled in 2018, the most recent year for which it has data. And while the reasons for this dismal number are varied and complex, user error is certainly a piece of the puzzle. Nevertheless, 75% of Americans are confident they know how to recycle properly in their area, according to the survey. That confidence level dropped, though, when respondents were asked about their local recycling systems: Just 52% of respondents said they're confident that plastic is properly recycled in their area. Interestingly, women are much more skeptical than men on this point—just 46% of women are confident in local recycling systems versus 59% of men. Fast Food Brands Have a Lot to Gain From Reducing Single-Use Packaging Waste