TUSTIN, Calif., February 13th, 2025 – While nearly two-thirds of manufacturing professionals (62%) say their company actively tracks government regulations related to sustainability, a third (29%) say their company does not and another 9% were unsure. That’s according to new data by Specright, the leader in Specification Management software.
Extended Producer Responsibility Preparedness
Just over two-fifths (43%) of manufacturing professionals say they are aware of Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) laws and their organization is closely tracking their evolution and timelines, however, a significant portion are either not tracking (32%) EPR laws or are not aware of EPR laws (25%).
With EPR regulations growing across the U.S, each with unique timelines and requirements, 2025 is set to be a critical year for the packaging industry to align with EPR and other regulations. When asked about their concerns related to current and upcoming EPR laws, 62% say they are concerned about the financial impact of not meeting EPR laws, 56% are concerned that their vendors are not prepared for EPR laws, 54% are concerned about the brand impact of not meeting EPR laws and 44% said they do not have clear access to / organized data needed to report.
“As we enter this new year, there will continue to be a strong emphasis on sustainability both by government regulations and by the consumers who are making purchasing decisions,” said Matthew Wright, founder and CEO of Specright. “As these survey results indicate, manufacturing organizations are increasingly knowledgeable of, and taking action toward sustainability initiatives and regulations, but there is more work to be done to ensure packaging strategies and vendor collaboration are in alignment and their data is organized and readily available to properly report.”
Confidence in Reporting
The majority of manufacturing professionals (86%) believe their company has the tools in place to accurately and honestly report in line with industry regulations. And 73% believe their company has the tools in place to accurately and honestly report on sustainability goals and metrics. When asked about the primary challenge their organization faces in collecting and managing packaging data from various suppliers, more than a third (39%) said ensuring data accuracy, followed by timeliness / availability of data (34%).
AI, Sustainability a Priority for 2025
When thinking about the year ahead, respondents identified introducing or expanding AI tools (22%) and aligning packaging materials and processes with sustainability goals (21%) as top priorities for their organization over the next 12 months. When asked about the biggest challenge their organization is facing in the year ahead, nearly a third (31%) cited economic uncertainty.
Additional survey findings revealed:
- Three quarters (75%) of manufacturing professionals say their company prioritizes sustainable packaging materials.
- 82% say their company has implemented waste reduction techniques.
- Nearly two thirds (62%) say their company is willing to spend more on product and packaging materials that are deemed sustainable or environmentally friendly.
To learn more about these findings and how Specright’s patented Specification Data Management™ platform can help organizations prepare for evolving regulations, visit https://www.specright.com/.
Survey methodology: Specright surveyed U.S.-based professionals using the online insights platform Pollfish. Respondents were aged 18-65, working full time in manufacturing with a manager job title, and each indicated they were either directly responsible for tracking and managing product and packaging specification data or oversaw a team that handles this data. The survey ran from Nov. 26 - Dec. 9.
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About Specright
Specright is the first purpose-built, patented platform for Specification Management. Whether it's packaging, raw materials, formulas, products, or machines, Specright helps companies digitize, map, and take action across their supply chain to reduce costs, increase profitability, and drive sustainability. Specright serves customers across industries, including packaging, food and beverage, consumer packaged goods, pharmaceutical, retail, industrials, and more. Recognized as a leader in Specification Management, Specright was named one of Fast Company's Most Innovative Companies for 2023, had three executives honored as Supply & Demand Chain Executive Pros to Know in 2023 and won Food Logistics' 2022 Top Software & Technology Provider award. For more information, visit: www.specright.com.
