Exploring Consumer Expectations and Environmental Impact in Sustainable Paper-Based Packaging: A Systematic Approach Using MCDA and TOPSIS

Studies on consumer behavior and packaging trends indicate that sustainability now plays a key role in purchasing decisions. A qualitative study was conducted to investigate consumer expectations and opinions regarding sustainable paper-based packaging materials, with 60 participants involved in a two-stage focus group. In the first stage, participants shared their thoughts on existing packaging options and their expectations for sustainable materials. In the second stage, they assessed five paper-based prototype packages.

The findings revealed valuable insights into how consumers define sustainability, the factors influencing their decisions, and the impact of trends in other industries beyond FMCG. The study also explored life cycle assessment (LCA) and life cycle costing (LCC) to evaluate the environmental and financial impacts of these materials. An automatic Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) approach was employed to select the most suitable packaging material. The study embraced alternative and circular economy models, emphasizing the recovery of materials at the end of their lifecycle.

There is growing concern about packaging waste, particularly plastic packaging, and its negative environmental impact. This research highlights global concepts such as sustainable development, the circular economy, and social responsibility. The methodology used offers a combinatorial ranking system for each criterion based on a predefined weight distribution, utilizing the TOPSIS (Technique for Order of Preference by Similarity to Ideal Solution) method to rank packaging materials.

This approach provides a systematic, comprehensive framework for selecting packaging materials, applicable to any product.