Plastic Products Manufacturers NAICS 3261

Jul 27, 2025 - Consumers Shunning Plastic Packaging

• A new survey finds shoppers in the US and Canada are walking away from store purchases over worries about unsustainable packaging and concerns about plastics, The Wall Street Journal reports. The survey found that more than a third of consumers (37%) in North America decided against buying something because it was unsustainably packaged, rising to 42% for European consumers. “Packaging is the new pressure point for North American brands and retailers,” said Gillian Garside-Wight, director of consulting at sustainability consulting firm Aura, which conducted the survey. Notably, the Aura found that 80% of all respondents said brands and retailers were using too much packaging, though only 57% of respondents in North America saw a direct link between packaging waste and climate change. Big brands including Coca-Cola and General Mills, are taking note and reducing the amount of plastic used in packaging and using more recycled plastic.
• Reversing his predecessor’s attempt to reduce consumption of non-biodegradable single-use plastics, President Trump has signed an executive order aimed at encouraging the federal government and consumers to buy plastic drinking straws, Reuters reports. The US government is the biggest buyer of plastic straws. Trump’s EO directs federal agencies to make sure that “paper straws are no longer provided” in agency buildings. The alternative – paper straws – according to the president “don’t work.” Trump has also rescinded a Biden administration policy to end the use of all single-use plastic products on federal lands by 2032.

• On his first day in office, President Trump renewed his promise to impose tariffs on imports to the US, saying he planned to put a 25% tariff on products from Canada and Mexico and an additional 10% tariff on Chinese goods on February 1, The New York Times reports. The US is a net importer of plastic products, with China, Canada, and Mexico accounting for about 64% of plastic product imports and 66% of US exports. Tariff hikes would make it more expensive for manufacturers to import needed components and raw materials, particularly from China and disrupt supply chains for US manufacturers. If the US’s three largest trading partners respond with retaliatory tariffs, it would make US exports more expensive and less attractive on the global market. However, it’s not clear if Trump will follow through on his tariff threats or what products would be affected.
• Producer prices for plastic products manufacturers remained flat in June compared to a year ago, after posting a flat previous June-versus-June annual comparison, according to the latest US Bureau of Labor Statistics data. Producer prices for plastic products manufacturers have stalled amid rising sales. Employment by plastics manufacturers fell 0.8% year over year in May, while average wages at plastics and rubber product manufacturers continued to climb, up 3.6% YoY in June, to a new high of $25.35 per hour, BLS data show.