Research March 2026

Q1: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the recycling of beverage cartons?

1. More than half (50.5%) of Belgians think that the aluminum and polymer layers make beverage cartons more difficult to recycle than other types of packaging (PET/plastic, metal cans, glass).
   
   
2. Nearly 1 in 3 Belgians (32.2%) say that recycling information on beverage cartons is mainly marketing and therefore not reliable.
   
   
3. 65.9% of Belgians have no idea what happens to the recycled material from beverage cartons.
   
   
4. More than half (52.2%) of Belgians buy beverage cartons because they are recyclable.
   
   
5. More than 1 in 3 Belgians (42.8%) think that recycling beverage cartons results exclusively in new cardboard packaging for food & beverages.
   
   

Q2: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about sorting beverage cartons?

1. 1 in 4 Belgians (25.3%) agree with the statement: “Whether I sort it or not, most beverage cartons are incinerated anyway.”
   
   
2. More than 8 in 10 Belgians (83.5%) always dispose of their used beverage cartons in the blue bag.
   
   
3. More than 1 in 3 Belgians (44.5%) say that incorrect sorting by others makes sorting beverage cartons pointless.

Q3: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the raw materials used to make beverage cartons?

1. 43.1% of Belgians say that beverage cartons being recyclable and being made from a renewable resource mean the same thing.
   
   
2. More than 1 in 3 Belgians (38.8%) say that the production of beverage cartons leads to fewer trees and forests in our country.
   
   
3. 31.7% say that labels such as FSC/PEFC, which indicate that the wood fibers used for beverage cartons come from sustainably managed forests, are not very reliable.
   
   
4. For more than 1 in 3 Belgians (34%), the claim that beverage cartons are recyclable feels like greenwashing.
   
   
5. 64.6% of Belgians consider beverage cartons sustainable because they are largely made from recycled paper and cardboard.
   
   
6. More than half (51.8%) would consider it a positive change if a brand switched to beverage cartons.

Q4: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the CO₂ footprint of beverage cartons?

1. 40.1% of Belgians think that beverage cartons have a higher CO₂ footprint than other types of packaging due to their aluminum and polymer layers.
   
   
2. More than half (58%) of Belgians find it important that information about the CO₂ footprint is indicated on beverage cartons.
   
   
3. 42.1% agree with the statement that beverage cartons have a lower CO₂ footprint than other types of packaging because they are lighter and therefore require less energy for transport.
   
   

Q5: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following statements about the sustainability of beverage cartons?

1. Nearly half (49.5%) of Belgians disagree with the statement: “I avoid beverage cartons because they are less sustainable than alternative packaging.”
   
   
2. 68.8% indicate that they have no idea which type of food and beverage packaging (PET/plastic, glass, cans, cartons) is the most or least sustainable.
   
   
3. 63.7% agree with the statement that beverage cartons are recyclable and, after use, are processed into new valuable materials, such as cardboard boxes and plastic pallets.

Q6: To what extent do you agree or disagree with the following general statements about beverage cartons?

1. More than 1 in 3 Belgians (39.8%) consider beverage cartons to be better for food safety than other types of packaging.
   
   
2. 43.9% believe that beverage cartons preserve their contents better than other types of packaging.
   
   
3. More than half (52.7%) find beverage cartons more user-friendly than other types of packaging.
   
   
4. Nearly 7 in 10 Belgians (69.8%) find beverage cartons more convenient to store than other types of packaging.
   
   
5. According to 44.8%, beverage cartons preserve the quality and taste of their contents better than other types of packaging.
   
   
6. According to 44.7%, beverage cartons are better for the environment than other types of packaging.
   
   
7. Opinions are divided when it comes to price: 30.4% say that drinks in beverage cartons are more expensive than the same drinks in other types of packaging, while a similar proportion (30.1%) say they are cheaper.

Q7: How important are the following criteria to you when choosing packaging for food and beverages?

1. Price: important for 86.4%
2. Brand: important for 52.7%
3. Ease of use: important for 85.8%
4. Quality of the contents: important for 89.6%
5. Shelf life: important for 88.2%
6. Food safety: important for 85.2%
7. Sustainability: important for 71.3%