Sustainability Insights 2025, The Packer’s annual survey of growers, retailers and consumers, reveals that while sustainability resonates across all three groups, when it comes to packaging, perspectives differ.
Designed by Prime46 Research and Consulting and Farm Journal’s Intelligence Division, the survey fielded in June and July finds sustainable packaging rose to the top of the priority list for both retailers and consumers, but growers are more skeptical about the ROI on sustainable packaging solutions.
The Sustainability Insights 2025 grower survey gathered insights from 74 growers, packers and shippers — the majority of whom identified as decision-making owners — on their perceptions and opinions related to sustainability in fresh produce production, packaging, food waste and labeling practices. The survey included growers across the continental U.S., with 1,324 average acres farmed per respondent and over two-thirds of farmers surveyed over the age of 45.
Sustainability Insights 2025 found that biodegradable, recyclable and protective packaging continue to define the key attributes of sustainable packaging for growers. What’s more, the attributes cited by specialty crop growers that make effective and sustainable packaging remain relatively stable and consistent year over year.
Though growers recognize the key role of sustainable packaging for fresh produce, less than half see a return on the grocery shelf for these sustainable packaging efforts.
Just under half of growers say the decision they make to provide sustainable packaging is appreciated by the consumer, up slightly from only 43% in 2024. Only 43% of surveyed growers think that using sustainable packaging increases the price you get for produce. Additionally, only 41% of growers say they have sustainable packaging options that are affordable, and only 35% say they have an adequate number of sustainable packaging options to choose from.
Big picture, growers cite much lower numbers for how much consumers are willing to pay for sustainable packaging than the consumers themselves. While only 13% of growers say they are willing to pay for sustainable packaging, 35% of consumers report a willingness to pay for sustainable packaging.
Unpacking Consumers’ Sustainability Desires
Meanwhile the Sustainability Insights consumer survey of nearly 500 U.S. consumers — who share or do most of their household grocery shopping — finds that sustainable packaging might be the most powerful tool grower-packer-shippers and retailers have in engaging sustainability-minded consumers.
“The most surprising takeaway from the survey was that consumers across all income levels place essentially the same level of importance on packaging materials used as criteria for produce selection,” says Colin Clarke, vice president and director of research for the Fargo, N.D.-based Prime46. “On average, 46.5% of consumers always or usually factor packaging materials in their decision-making.
“In looking at both ends of the income level spectrum, 43% of consumers under $25,000 in annual household income and 44% of consumers above $100,000 in annual income always or usually factor packaging materials in their decision-making,” he continues. “I anticipated more variance across income levels, but it appears packaging materials used is a factor for all consumers.”
Sustainability Insights 2025 further found that on average 55% of consumers say it is extremely or very important that fresh produce comes in sustainable packaging, and the level of importance increases as the consumer audience gets younger, with 54% of Gen X saying it is extremely or very important, 57% of older millennials, 65% of younger millennials and 68% of Gen Z saying it is extremely or very important.
Download the full Sustainability Insights 2025 report here.
