An Analytical Summary of Social Aspect of Sustainable Packaging
In their research synthesis, Nordin and Selke (2010) reviewed the literature on consumers’ perceptions of sustainable packaging and factors that impact consumers’ purchasing preferences. They pointed out that previous studies have covered the economic and environmental benefits of sustainable packaging whereas social considerations such as consumer preferences have not been studied as extensively. These social considerations are often ignored even though they are as important as the technological aspects when it comes to the development of sustainable packaging. Currently, we know very little about the consumers’ perception of sustainable packaging because many companies are only committed to promoting sustainability from an abstract idea into an urgent priority (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 2). Thus, the purpose of their paper is to promote understanding of the importance of the social aspect of packaging sustainability and its role in supporting the improvement of sustainable development practice (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 2). Based on the previous discussion and information, Nordin and Selke (2010) found three primary aspects on consumer perceptions of sustainable packaging: “the lack of consumers’ knowledge on the sustainability concept, significant presence of terminology gaps, and inconsistency in consumers’ attitude and behavior towards sustainable packaging” (p. 9). What the authors mean by terminology gaps is that consumers do not understand the scholars and the scholars do not understand the consumers. Therefore, they suggested that consumers be educated about the sustainability concept, and its role in sustainable packaging. Also they need to learn about the connection between their consumption trends and the effect of product supply chains. Moreover, Packaging designers need to find ways to design the brilliant but simple package. Also they should have the ability to foresee changing requirements and to educate consumers its role in sustainable packaging (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 7-9).
A Focused Analysis of consumers’ attitudes and behavior gap
In this article, one of the most important key concepts should be consumers’ attitudes and behavior gap, which is one of the social elements of sustainable packaging. The authors interpreted this element as “willingness does not translate to behavior” (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 6). That means consumers are concerned about environmental issues, but they do not take actions in purchasing decisions. The authors mainly used the key term consumers’ attitudes and behavior when discussing how consumer’s behaved. A few other key terms like “attitudes and behavior gap, inconsistency in consumers’ attitude and behavior” were used to illustrate this key concept. However, they showed many examples of these attitudes and behaviors. For example, the authors indicated that the consumers have environmental concerns. Also consumes feel obligated to save the environment; however, they are not willing to pay more money to do so. Nordin and Selke (2010) also used several sources to support their point. For instance, the authors cited “A global consumers survey by McKinsey in Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, UK and the USA, which linked consumer inconsistency in their attitude and behavior with willingness to pay, revealed that 53% of consumers were concerned about environmental issues but unwilling to take actions in purchasing decisions, while a further 13% were willing to pay more but currently did not do so” (2008) to build meaning into the concept of consumers’ attitudes and behavior gap.
Pursuing a Line of Inquiry
For this article, I am interested in the concepts of consumers’ attitudes and consumers’ behavior. The authors described “consumers concern on environmental issues and willingness to act on those concerns somehow do not reflect in their willingness to pay more for sustainable packages” (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 6). Knowing more about the consumers’ attitudes and behavior would help me gain a deeper understanding about the duty of packaging designer. As a packaging designer, its packaging design should be both awakened consumers’ awareness and encouraged consumers to take actions in sustainable consumption. If the packaging design uses only some green logos, just increases consumer awareness of environmental protection, and does not encourage consumers to take actions and play their role in sustainable consumption, it is a failed packaging design. Consideration of how consumers interact with packaging is useful in improving packaging design and promoting sustainability. “Sustainable packaging” is not only the packaging material is sustainable, but also has the function of helping consumers to understand the concept of sustainability and changing consumers’ purchasing decision. How do packaging designers use simple packaging so that consumers can not only enhance environmental awareness, but also to take environmental action? In addition, how do packaging designers educate consumers about their role of sustainable packaging through the packaging design?
References
Nordin, N., & Selke, S. (2010). Social aspect of sustainable packaging. Packaging Technology and Science, 23(6), 317-326.
In their research synthesis, Nordin and Selke (2010) reviewed the literature on consumers’ perceptions of sustainable packaging and factors that impact consumers’ purchasing preferences. They pointed out that previous studies have covered the economic and environmental benefits of sustainable packaging whereas social considerations such as consumer preferences have not been studied as extensively. These social considerations are often ignored even though they are as important as the technological aspects when it comes to the development of sustainable packaging. Currently, we know very little about the consumers’ perception of sustainable packaging because many companies are only committed to promoting sustainability from an abstract idea into an urgent priority (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 2). Thus, the purpose of their paper is to promote understanding of the importance of the social aspect of packaging sustainability and its role in supporting the improvement of sustainable development practice (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 2). Based on the previous discussion and information, Nordin and Selke (2010) found three primary aspects on consumer perceptions of sustainable packaging: “the lack of consumers’ knowledge on the sustainability concept, significant presence of terminology gaps, and inconsistency in consumers’ attitude and behavior towards sustainable packaging” (p. 9). What the authors mean by terminology gaps is that consumers do not understand the scholars and the scholars do not understand the consumers. Therefore, they suggested that consumers be educated about the sustainability concept, and its role in sustainable packaging. Also they need to learn about the connection between their consumption trends and the effect of product supply chains. Moreover, Packaging designers need to find ways to design the brilliant but simple package. Also they should have the ability to foresee changing requirements and to educate consumers its role in sustainable packaging (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 7-9).
A Focused Analysis of consumers’ attitudes and behavior gap
In this article, one of the most important key concepts should be consumers’ attitudes and behavior gap, which is one of the social elements of sustainable packaging. The authors interpreted this element as “willingness does not translate to behavior” (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 6). That means consumers are concerned about environmental issues, but they do not take actions in purchasing decisions. The authors mainly used the key term consumers’ attitudes and behavior when discussing how consumer’s behaved. A few other key terms like “attitudes and behavior gap, inconsistency in consumers’ attitude and behavior” were used to illustrate this key concept. However, they showed many examples of these attitudes and behaviors. For example, the authors indicated that the consumers have environmental concerns. Also consumes feel obligated to save the environment; however, they are not willing to pay more money to do so. Nordin and Selke (2010) also used several sources to support their point. For instance, the authors cited “A global consumers survey by McKinsey in Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, UK and the USA, which linked consumer inconsistency in their attitude and behavior with willingness to pay, revealed that 53% of consumers were concerned about environmental issues but unwilling to take actions in purchasing decisions, while a further 13% were willing to pay more but currently did not do so” (2008) to build meaning into the concept of consumers’ attitudes and behavior gap.
Pursuing a Line of Inquiry
For this article, I am interested in the concepts of consumers’ attitudes and consumers’ behavior. The authors described “consumers concern on environmental issues and willingness to act on those concerns somehow do not reflect in their willingness to pay more for sustainable packages” (Nordin, & Selke, 2010, p. 6). Knowing more about the consumers’ attitudes and behavior would help me gain a deeper understanding about the duty of packaging designer. As a packaging designer, its packaging design should be both awakened consumers’ awareness and encouraged consumers to take actions in sustainable consumption. If the packaging design uses only some green logos, just increases consumer awareness of environmental protection, and does not encourage consumers to take actions and play their role in sustainable consumption, it is a failed packaging design. Consideration of how consumers interact with packaging is useful in improving packaging design and promoting sustainability. “Sustainable packaging” is not only the packaging material is sustainable, but also has the function of helping consumers to understand the concept of sustainability and changing consumers’ purchasing decision. How do packaging designers use simple packaging so that consumers can not only enhance environmental awareness, but also to take environmental action? In addition, how do packaging designers educate consumers about their role of sustainable packaging through the packaging design?
References
Nordin, N., & Selke, S. (2010). Social aspect of sustainable packaging. Packaging Technology and Science, 23(6), 317-326.
This is my assignment from EAP course – EAP 508 Graduate Communication in Disciplines 3. This is an analytical summary assignment which is another way to help students engage with and understand texts. Students are required to analyze a source as a text and respond with a 600-800 words paper. For this project, to begin with, I wrote a brief summary of an article that relate to my major which I searched from library database. I described the major rhetorical elements of this article including the object of study, exigence, purpose, methodology, new offering, relevance, and key concepts. In addition, I analyzed one key concept of this article. I presented the authors' definition or description of this concept and explained how the use of other unique key terms added information to this concept. Finally, I Pursued a line of inquiry. I found insightful and useful connections between these concepts and explained what these connections mean and explored how these concepts deepen my understanding and become an area of future research.
This is my assignment from EAP course – EAP 508 Graduate Communication in Disciplines 3. This is a poster presentation assignment.