Compared to 10 years ago, Belgians are now more aware of their environmental impact, but "their actions do not always reflect this increased awareness," notes Fost Plus on Tuesday.
The organisation in charge of the selective collection, sorting and recycling of household packaging waste notes this in its 5th environmental barometer, the first since 2014.
More than half of the approximately 1,000 respondents (56%) consider climate change to be one of the greatest contemporary issues. But when it comes to everyday life, this concern comes behind those of money, security and health. And while behaviour has undeniably evolved in 10 years, there is still room for improvement.
Currently, 82% of respondents say they ‘always sort’, compared to only 69% in 2014. Reusable bags are also more popular than before, with more than 68% of Belgians saying they choose them regularly, compared to 36% 10 years ago.
"We are seeing that consumers are increasingly open to reusable packaging. Those who already use them do so mainly ‘for the environment’, but unfortunately not everyone is convinced yet," points out Adriaan Lowet, Manager Products & Campaigns at Fost Plus.
Overall, Belgians are therefore aware that efforts need to be made, but are sometimes reluctant to make them themselves, according to the report. There is "a tension between the growing awareness of environmental issues and the actual behaviour of consumers".
For example, 80% of those surveyed believe that there is too much disposable packaging, but only 50% of consumers take this into account in their purchasing behaviour.
In particular, a majority of them (60%) expect packaging producers to offer better alternatives over those who consider that changing behaviour is an individual responsibility (55%).
