Toyo Seikan Group Issues "Waste Whitepaper 2026": Survey Reveals Consumer Priority on Price and Convenience Over Environment
Toyo Seikan Group Holdings released its third annual environmental awareness survey. The findings show that while sorting confidence is high, most consumers prioritize price and convenience for daily purchases, highlighting the need for better recycling infrastructure and incentives.
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- 📰 Published: April 28, 2026 at 23:00
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Toyo Seikan Group Holdings Co., Ltd. (Headquarters: Shinagawa-ku, Tokyo; President: Takuji Nakamura) has compiled and published the results of a survey on environmental awareness and waste sorting among men and women in their 20s to 60s nationwide as the "Waste Whitepaper 2026" on its website. This survey has been conducted continuously since 2024, and this marks the third issuance of the "Waste Whitepaper," ahead of the "Waste Festival 2026" opening event to be held on Sunday, May 3, 2026.
The survey revealed that while there is an understanding of waste sorting, there is a tendency to prioritize convenience and price over environmental considerations in behaviors such as returning used containers and making purchasing decisions.
[Waste Whitepaper 2026]
Available on the company website.
URL: https://www.tskg-hd.com/pdf/sustainability/environment/resource-circulation/waste_whitepaper_2026.pdf
Main Contents:
1. Reality of environmental awareness and awareness of waste relative to social movements
2. Reality of understanding regarding waste sorting
3. Environmental awareness during product purchase
4. Summary and Recommendations
Summary of Survey Results:
- Over 60% are confident in their ability to follow waste sorting rules.
More than 60% of respondents answered that they are "confident" in following the sorting rules set by their local government, indicating a certain level of confidence in daily sorting actions.
- The key to improving the usage rate of used container collection boxes is location and incentives.
A survey on whether used containers are brought to collection boxes showed that responses were split almost half-and-half between "I bring them" and "I do not."
At the same time, the following conditions were frequently mentioned as factors that would promote the use of collection boxes:
- The collection point is within the range of daily life.
- There is a collection box at the home's garbage disposal area.
- Incentives such as points can be received.
The results suggest that improving the usage rate can be expected by developing collection points that can be easily used within the sphere of daily life and creating mechanisms that increase the ease of participation.
- Tendency to prioritize price and usability over environmental considerations when purchasing products.
When asked whether they would choose "something cheap but not good for the environment" or "something expensive but good for the environment" when purchasing daily necessities such as food and sundries, more than 60% chose the former. Furthermore, when asked about "something usable but bad for the environment" vs. "something difficult to use but good for the environment," approximately 80% chose the former. A tendency to prioritize "price" and "usability" over environmental considerations was observed during food and product purchases.
On the other hand, for high-priced items such as appliances, housing, and cars, the tendency to emphasize environmental considerations was relatively higher compared to daily necessities.
Our group aims to realize a decarbonized society, a resource-circulating society, and a nature-symbiotic society based on the mid-to-long-term environmental goal "Eco Action Plan 2030." Based on these survey results, we will promote product designs that facilitate sorting and the development of mechanisms to promote the collection of used containers, thereby contributing to the realization of a circular economy. We will also continue to conduct regular surveys to understand changes in consumers' environmental awareness and behavior to promote more effective measures.
Survey Overview:
Period: March 5 (Thu) – March 7 (Sat), 2026
Target: Men and women in their 20s to 60s nationwide
Samples: 2,065 samples
Method: Internet questionnaire survey
Agency: Macromill, Inc.
About Toyo Seikan Group:
Toyo Seikan Group is a comprehensive packaging container manufacturer that globally provides various containers utilizing the characteristics of materials such as metal, plastic, paper, and glass. In addition to the packaging container business, it has five businesses: engineering/filling/logistics, steel plate-related, functional materials-related, and real estate-related businesses.
In May 2021, the Group formulated the "Long-term Management Vision 2050 'Wrapping the Future'" looking ahead to 2050 to maximize the value provided to all stakeholders from a long-term perspective. We will promote business activities aiming to be a 'Lifestyle Platform' that wraps all people around the world with peace of mind, safety, and richness, and to realize a society where individuality can be lived more authentically and happiness can be passed on to the future without burdening the earth.
The survey revealed that while there is an understanding of waste sorting, there is a tendency to prioritize convenience and price over environmental considerations in behaviors such as returning used containers and making purchasing decisions.
[Waste Whitepaper 2026]
Available on the company website.
URL: https://www.tskg-hd.com/pdf/sustainability/environment/resource-circulation/waste_whitepaper_2026.pdf
Main Contents:
1. Reality of environmental awareness and awareness of waste relative to social movements
2. Reality of understanding regarding waste sorting
3. Environmental awareness during product purchase
4. Summary and Recommendations
Summary of Survey Results:
- Over 60% are confident in their ability to follow waste sorting rules.
More than 60% of respondents answered that they are "confident" in following the sorting rules set by their local government, indicating a certain level of confidence in daily sorting actions.
- The key to improving the usage rate of used container collection boxes is location and incentives.
A survey on whether used containers are brought to collection boxes showed that responses were split almost half-and-half between "I bring them" and "I do not."
At the same time, the following conditions were frequently mentioned as factors that would promote the use of collection boxes:
- The collection point is within the range of daily life.
- There is a collection box at the home's garbage disposal area.
- Incentives such as points can be received.
The results suggest that improving the usage rate can be expected by developing collection points that can be easily used within the sphere of daily life and creating mechanisms that increase the ease of participation.
- Tendency to prioritize price and usability over environmental considerations when purchasing products.
When asked whether they would choose "something cheap but not good for the environment" or "something expensive but good for the environment" when purchasing daily necessities such as food and sundries, more than 60% chose the former. Furthermore, when asked about "something usable but bad for the environment" vs. "something difficult to use but good for the environment," approximately 80% chose the former. A tendency to prioritize "price" and "usability" over environmental considerations was observed during food and product purchases.
On the other hand, for high-priced items such as appliances, housing, and cars, the tendency to emphasize environmental considerations was relatively higher compared to daily necessities.
Our group aims to realize a decarbonized society, a resource-circulating society, and a nature-symbiotic society based on the mid-to-long-term environmental goal "Eco Action Plan 2030." Based on these survey results, we will promote product designs that facilitate sorting and the development of mechanisms to promote the collection of used containers, thereby contributing to the realization of a circular economy. We will also continue to conduct regular surveys to understand changes in consumers' environmental awareness and behavior to promote more effective measures.
Survey Overview:
Period: March 5 (Thu) – March 7 (Sat), 2026
Target: Men and women in their 20s to 60s nationwide
Samples: 2,065 samples
Method: Internet questionnaire survey
Agency: Macromill, Inc.
About Toyo Seikan Group:
Toyo Seikan Group is a comprehensive packaging container manufacturer that globally provides various containers utilizing the characteristics of materials such as metal, plastic, paper, and glass. In addition to the packaging container business, it has five businesses: engineering/filling/logistics, steel plate-related, functional materials-related, and real estate-related businesses.
In May 2021, the Group formulated the "Long-term Management Vision 2050 'Wrapping the Future'" looking ahead to 2050 to maximize the value provided to all stakeholders from a long-term perspective. We will promote business activities aiming to be a 'Lifestyle Platform' that wraps all people around the world with peace of mind, safety, and richness, and to realize a society where individuality can be lived more authentically and happiness can be passed on to the future without burdening the earth.