Is a glass bottle of orange juice better for the planet than a plastic one?
You might be surprised. A study by food scientists at the University of Massachusetts Amherst found that many U.S. consumers believe glass is the most sustainable packaging. But the reality is quite different.
Nomzamo Dlamini, a lead author of the study and a food science Ph.D. candidate, discovered that glass is actually among the least sustainable options when considering the entire packaging lifecycle.
While consumers ranked glass as the best, followed by carton, aluminum, and plastic, the facts tell a different story.
For a 12-ounce, single-serve container of orange juice, the most sustainable option is a carton. This is followed by plastic, then aluminum cans, with glass being the least sustainable.
Dlamini was surprised by these findings, noting that producing and recycling glass takes much more energy than making or recycling plastic.
The study explains that plastic has a lower production and end-of-life impact compared to glass. It’s also lighter, requiring less energy to transport. Additionally, the process of sealing plastic containers is less energy-demanding than the process used for glass.
The researchers aimed to understand what motivates consumers’ packaging choices. They designed a questionnaire that asked people to make trade-offs, mimicking real-life decisions. They wanted to see what factors mattered most to consumers.
Interestingly, while many consumers said they wanted to choose sustainable packaging, price was the top motivator. The lowest price was most important, followed by packaging type, product claims, and packaging claims.
From the survey of 847 adults, the ideal orange juice option was priced at $1.10 per 12 fluid ounces, packaged in glass, locally produced, and labeled as 100% recyclable.
The study sends a message to the food industry: consumers are willing to choose sustainable packaging if the price is right. These options should be clearly labeled, effective, and affordable to increase adoption.
Ultimately, while packaging choices do impact the environment, the most significant way consumers can contribute to sustainability is by reducing or avoiding food waste. This is the most practical and impactful approach.
So, next time you reach for that glass bottle of orange juice, remember that there are more sustainable choices out there. And, consider the bigger picture—reducing food waste is key to helping our planet.
