Pro Carton survey: What German consumers think about packaging

We have already reported on the results of the Pro Carton Survey 2025, showing that European consumers increasingly turn to sustainable, green packaging and adapt their recycling habits accordingly. But what do German consumers actually think? Winfried Mühling, Marketing & Communications Director of Pro Carton, the European Association of Cartonboard and Folding Carton Manufacturers, provides exclusive insight into the responses of German consumers.

He explains that, according to the survey, German consumers are particularly sensitive to over-packaging. “42% are annoyed when a product comes in excessively large packaging. In comparison, this figure is only 37% across Europe,” says Winfried Mühling. In line with this, 48% of Germans have the environment in mind when they buy packaged goods. They swear by “environmentally friendly packaging”. And 27% of consumers believe they have a high level of personal responsibility for proper disposal – more than the European average of 21%. Confidence in the existing collection and recycling system for cardboard is even higher than for glass. Corrugated cardboard enjoys the highest level of trust (84%), followed by paper and cardboard (83%) and glass (82%). According to the study, flexible plastic packaging (51%) and plastic cups (50%) are less popular.

“The results, especially with regard to Germany, show that German consumers are very environmentally aware. Recycling is something we learn at an early age and separating waste is something we are born with. Cardboard packaging is preferred: 89% of consumers prefer fiber-based packaging to plastic packaging,” Mühling concludes.