General Perception of Sustainable Straws

• A 2018 study by Morning Consult found that the majority of US consumers support the use of eco-friendly straws over plastic straws.
• Up to 66% of consumers in this study mentioned that they "would have a more favorable view of a company that has a new recycling policy to reduce plastic waste." 
• Almost 70% of these consumers stated that they would support a company's decision to completely phase out plastic straws.  
• In terms of what these consumers see as the most effective waste reduction initiatives, about 68% selected switching to paper bags, while 63% chose sourcing foods locally, 58% picked banning plastic utensils, and another 58% selected banning plastic straws.

Sustainable Straw Consumers

• In general, millennials are driving the global sustainable movement. Exactly 61% of millennials would pay more for sustainable products, compared to 58% of Gen Zers, 55% of Gen Xers, and 46% of baby boomers.
• Over 60% of eco-conscious consumers in the US consider eco-friendly products better for their health.
• Business Insider surveyed almost 2,000 Americans between ages 13 to 21 and found that roughly 60% of these individuals consider plastic bans important, slightly important, or very important.
• As described by reports, millennials "have readily jumped onto the bandwagon of reusable metal straws."
• Retailers like Starbucks plan on completely phasing out plastic straws before the end of 2020 to target more millennial consumers.

SUMMARY

• While Americans in general are socially conscious and support the use of sustainable straws over plastic straws, millennials and Gen Zers are specifically driving this change.