Recycled labels: How consumers evaluate quality and sustainability!

Recycled labels: How consumers evaluate quality and sustainability!

Today is August 13, 2025 and the discussion about the circular economy is a top priority. From 2025, the EU will require that disposable PET bottles contain at least 25% recycled material. By 2030, this share is expected to rise to 30%. A significant initiative that sets the course for the transition from a disposable economy to a sustainable circular economy, like the University of Bonn reported.

Changing consumer behavior

Consumers play a central role in this transformation. A recent study by researchers Madita Finke, Janine Macht and Monika Hartmann shows that sustainability labels, especially the recycled material label, can significantly increase expectations regarding product quality. In a survey of 1,080 German consumers, it became clear that orange juice in bottles with a high proportion of recycled materials is viewed positively, particularly due to the feeling of sustainability. These findings could be of immense value for companies, as they emphasize in the study: A higher proportion of recyclate should be actively communicated in order to strengthen competitiveness and brand perception.

Key factors of the circular economy

But the circular economy goes far beyond the requirements for packaging. The Fraunhofer Society has developed a circular economy simulation game on behalf of Forum Rezyklat in order to find new solutions for closed packaging cycles. Results reports are scheduled to be published on January 30, 2025 and will be available to the public free of charge. The exchange and cooperation of all those involved along the value chain are crucial to successfully mastering these challenges.

The forum's member survey shows that polypropylene flex materials (PP-flex) were identified as particularly relevant. These materials represent one of the challenges that must be overcome by 2035. Respondents also mentioned the difficulties in recycling packaging in the food sector. The key here is to have a good hand when it comes to closing the loops.

Economic and social challenges

The Federal Ministry for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety emphasizes that in industrialized countries we consume a lot of raw materials and produce waste. This is exacerbated by economic growth in developing countries. It is therefore necessary to decouple economic growth from the consumption of natural resources. This is exactly where the circular economy comes in and aims to make products usable for longer through repair, reuse and recycling.

Innovative concepts for the use of rare raw materials and the networking of waste management in different regions are part of the research on the circular economy, which also examines social and ecological aspects. Future challenges include developing new business methods and models that deepen understanding of sustainable development and have a positive impact on the environment.

The discussion about the recycled content in products shows: There is something there! The circular economy is an issue that affects not only industry, but also the daily life and consumer behavior of each and every individual. It is time to take action together and steer our way of life in a sustainable direction.