Consumers continue to seek out convenience that suits their fast-paced lifestyles. Consumer behavior could reverse, but it is unlikely. What’s more likely is that things will only grow more intense and the demand for convenience will only grow more extreme. Fast-moving consumer goods and pharmaceutical products benefit from the cost-to-performance ratio advantage offered by rigid plastics manufacturing. That is to say, consumers would have to wait longer, and pay higher costs while doing more damage to the environment and our planet’s natural resources, if we were to abandon rigid plastic packaging. These items are recyclable and a resource if we make them so. This should be the focus, rather than upending the global economy to trade one environmental challenge for a much larger one.
Contrary to popular belief, when you look at different material options, plastics are often the sustainable choice when the entire product lifecycle is considered. For example, when comparing plastic bottles to glass bottles, plastics are shatterproof and lighter than glass bottles, saving transportation costs, fuel and carbon emissions when being delivered to grocery stores for purchase. They also reduce product loss. Sure, these companies are looking for containers that the public considers more sustainable, but the most sustainable option is made out of plastic.