Perceptions Aren’t Just Changing. We’re Changing Them.

Consumers’ perceptions about paper and packaging are evolving—and fast. In 2024, more consumers than ever understood that paper manufacturers plant far more trees than they harvest. They recognized that trends like urbanization and wildfires are the real threats to forests—not their sustainably managed, productive use. And they see the industry as part of the solution to the country’s sustainability challenges, not as part of the problem.

This shift didn’t happen by chance. It’s the result of strategic, unified messaging at scale—led by the Paper and Packaging Board (P+PB) in collaboration with industry partners—ensuring that sustainability efforts and innovations remain front and center for both consumers, customers and brands. 

This is all featured in our just released 2024 Campaign Impact Report showing how our powerful national campaign spanning digital video, print, social media and more has been reshaping consumer attitudes and inspiring businesses for a decade to rethink their paper and packaging choices. For example, our research shows that 80% of our core consumer audience who saw the campaign in 2024 found the industry trustworthy compared to only 50% in 2015 when the campaign started. Or consider that in just the last two years of sustainability storytelling, among this same audience, we’ve grown the percentage who agree with the statement “the paper and paper-based packaging industry is leaving the environment better than they found it” from 69% in 2020 to 76% last year. 

Why is this important?

Consumers drive your customers' choices and behaviors. Brands listen to their consumers and make changes to maintain loyalty and keep their market growing. Without a campaign educating consumers about our industry’s positive environmental practices, the renewability of forests, product innovations and recyclability, consumers (and customers) will instead get a one-sided and unflattering view of our industry and products from competing industries like plastics. This is our opportunity to lead in the value of sustainable packaging not just to consumers but to brands—the industry’s direct customers. 

Our work also supports your sales conversations directly with the help of our Marketing + Sales Toolkit. The toolkit equips your sales and marketing teams with the data they need to highlight consumers preference for paper and paper-based packaging reinforcing that sustainability isn’t just a commitment—it’s a competitive advantage for the customer and brands.

Dive into our 2024 Campaign Impact Report to learn more about how P+PB’s sustainability campaign is making a difference for your companies and the industry. And reach out to ABole@paperandpackaging.org about what is available in the toolkit to help with your customer conversations.