Retailer and supplier environmental and sustainability efforts have been not been greatly impacted by the recession, according to the Food Marketing Institute’s 2011 U.S. Grocery Shopper Trends report. A supermarket’s sustainability efforts are considered very important to 18 percent of shoppers, down just one point from the previous year.

Consumers’ commitment to sustainability continues to grow, especially those behaviors that require little or no consumer sacrifice. Compared to 2008:

Shoppers recycling plastic rose 62 percent to 75 percent in 2011.

Consumers recycling paper jumped from 63 percent to 74 percent.

Shoppers recycling cans increased from 70 percent to 78 percent.

The majority of shoppers (58 percent) claim to have strong environmental tendencies and nearly one-third describe themselves as having moderate environmental practices.