Marketing, sales and consumer behaviour – February 2025

Market for paper and board
According to a recent report by Fortune Business Insights, the global market value for pulp and paper is expected to rise from $343 billion in 2025 to $391.39 billion by 2032. The packaging segment is anticipated to hold the largest market share during this period. You can find more information in the report summary.
Preliminary statistics (539 kB) published by Cepi, show that the consumption of paper and board in Europe increased by 7.5% in 2024 and the production increased by 5.2%. The increase was mainly driven by packaging, traditionally an engine for growth in the sector.
According to Rabobank research (highlights, 1.17 MB), global recovered paper and pulp (RCP) trade has shifted in recent years. Their RCP world map (1.65 MB) explores how China’s RCP policies have redirected exports away from China to Southeast Asia and India.

Packaging colour and consumer behaviour
Category colour codes are commonly used hues in packaging within a specific product category. In a study (771 kB) published in Psychology & Marketing, researchers at the University of Calabria examined how conformity with or differentiation from category codes impacts consumer attention. They found that hybrid colour combinations— featuring one conforming colour and one differentiating colour— were more effective in attracting attention.
Colour saturation is one of the visual product cues that signals high tastiness and healthiness. In a study (696 kB) published in the British Food Journal, researchers at the University of Vienna investigated the effect of the match between the primary packaging colour and the colour of the main ingredient on the saturation effect. They found that when the packaging colour did not match the colour of the main ingredient (e.g. orange juice in a red package), the positive effects of colour saturation were reduced or even disappeared.
HAW Hamburg researchers studied the impact of packaging colour on consumer choice and health perception of chickpeas (a healthy product) versus ravioli (an unhealthy product) in Germany. The results indicate that price is the most influential factor, while packaging colour has the least influence. However, green packaging significantly enhances health perception. The study (10.34 MB) is published in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Research.

Consumers and the sustainability of packaging
In a study (1.7 MB) published in Sustainability, TU Dublin researchers investigated consumers’ attitudes toward bioplastic food packaging. The findings reveal that consumers generally hold a positive attitude toward bioplastics. However, they believe bioplastics must be made from renewable raw materials and be fully biodegradable or compostable. Additionally, most consumers lack the knowledge or ability to dispose of bioplastic waste properly.
Researchers at the University of Strasbourg studied the relationship between the perception of the sustainability of biodegradable, reusable, and recyclable packaging and a green brand image (sustainable and eco-friendly). They found that, for liquid or for dry products, a different type of packaging leads to a stronger green brand image. The results also suggest that consumers do not believe in the sustainability of recyclable packaging. The study (3.65 MB) is published in the Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services.
 

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