The aluminium can is a preferred drinks container for consumers, and packaging is vital, according to a new report by FoodMinds.
The Can Manufacturers Institute (CMI) said the research, conducted to support the Open Up to Cans campaign, focuses on four core beverage can performance benefits: product taste and integrity, innovation, performance, and sustainability.
FoodMinds sought to understand the role of beverage packaging containers throughout the consumer experience, from the point-of-purchase through to consumption.
Research author Grant Prentice said the study confirmed that beverage cans contributed positively at every point of the consumer experience, with a clear preference for cans across several beverage categories.
Key findings from the report include:
- 85 per cent of consumers believe cans protect the taste experience by blocking out the effects of light and helping preserve flavour and carbonation.
- More than half (53 per cent) of all adults indicate that packaging is “very” or “extremely important” when choosing a beverage; packaging is especially important to frequent beverage consumers with 74 per cent of this core user group saying the container is “very” or “extremely important” in their beverage choices.
- 69 per cent of consumers feel that a chilled can feels colder and more refreshing than a plastic bottle.
- Sustainability is still important to consumers, as 81 per cent say the infinite recyclability of the can matters to them.
The research indicates that package design plays an essential role at the point-of-purchase. Overwhelmingly, consumers are choosing cans based on their ability to feature 360-degree graphics:
- 72 per cent of consumers responded that the “unique shape and printing space on cans – images and designs – catch my eye more than other beverage containers”.
- Most consumers (56 per cent) prefer canned packaging because the labels completely cover all sides of the package.
- Nearly half of consumers (48 per cent) have tried a new product based on the design on the container.
