FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE FEFCO Brussels, 25th
March 2015
PAPER-BASED PACKAGING IS BEST FOR GROCERIES & FRESH PRODUCE SAY CONSUMERS IN INTERNATIONAL SURVEY.
Paper
based containers are the preferred choice of packaging for consumers
shopping for groceries and fresh produce, according to an international
survey involving people from seven European countries.
Out of the
7,086 consumers surveyed by YouGov, 4,857 indicated that they had a
preference for the type of container in which groceries and fresh
produce are stored and displayed on-shelf. The survey gave the choices
for container type as paper-based or plastic: Of the 4,857 consumers who
gave a preference, 68% preferred paper-based containers compared with
32% preferring plastic.
The same consumers were also asked, assuming
that all other aspects of a product such as price and quality were
equal, how much more or less likely they would be to buy a grocery
product (e.g. fruit, vegetables etc.) from a retailer using paper-based
containers compared to plastic containers. Out of all the consumers
asked, 41% stated either that the type of container made no difference
to their likelihood to buy a product, or that they did not know. But of
the remaining majority of consumers, 85% stated that they would be more
likely to buy a product in paper-based containers compared to plastic
containers.
The study was conducted in Belgium, France, Germany,
Italy, Netherlands, Poland and Spain. The results mirror a similar study
conducted last year in the UK* where, amongst the 1,114 consumers who
stated that the type of packaging influences their purchase decision
more or less, 93% said that they would be more likely to buy products in
paper-based containers than in plastic containers.
FEFCO’s Secretary
General, Angelika Christ, cited the survey as further evidence that
corrugated packaging is meeting the modern requirements of European
consumers and retailers for convenient, attractive and sustainable
grocery and food packaging.
She said: “The findings show that paper
and corrugated remain the most popular form of packaging across major
countries in Europe. Conclusion: the results show that consumers are
significantly more likely to purchase groceries, including fruit &
vegetables, if they are displayed in paper based containers than if
they’re displayed in plastic”.