Recognition of the FSC logo has jumped from 55% to 76% between 2017 and 2022.

Over half of respondents to an FSC survey (60%) said they are more conscious of the sustainability of products and packaging, and over a third (35%) reported actively looking out for certification labels when buying wood-based products.

Tallulah Chapman, communications manager for FSC UK, told Printweek: “UK consumers are just as concerned about the sustainability of packaging as they are about products – if not more so.”

Many, she said however, may not understand the intricacies of sustainable sourcing - but added that printers are in a unique position to help spread awareness and encourage uptake of sustainable business practices.

Nearly all (86%) of consumers worldwide now try to avoid products that damage biodiversity.

She said: “Printed materials are ubiquitous, touching so many parts of business. 

“Not only should they be an area considered under any sustainability initiatives, they also provide an opportunity to communicate and demonstrate these: for example, through the application of the FSC label.”

Once informed of the label’s meaning, only 10% of people in the UK said the logo was unlikely to positively influence their decision whether to buy something.

Half said they would be prepared to pay more for FSC-certified products.

John Popely, managing director of environmentally focused firm Anglia Print, told Printweek that its certification had made a real difference to the business.

He said: “A lot of our customers ask consistently for FSC whether it’s mixed, recycled, or whichever percentage of [recycled].

“It’s part of our environmental and ethical belief that we should use the FSC criteria and accreditation, because that [sustainable printing] is what we do as a business.”

Popely added, however, that businesses may not just be interested in the FSC certification.

A wide range of schemes exist, he said, like the ISO 14001, B Corp, or Soil Association certifications, alongside a number of carbon-neutrality certifications.

He encouraged firms that were serious about their principles to get audited and accredited, even if they already felt they were doing ‘enough’.

He added: “I think it’s a little unfair if you don’t put your money where your mouth is.”

The FSC survey canvassed 1,281 UK adults between 24 and 28 March 2022.