2011-05-10 12:32:52 - Glass preferred as part of trend towards healthy and sustainable lifestyles

Consumers prefer glass as a packaging material for food and drinks, according to a pan-European survey by independent research consultancy InSites. Reflecting the growing desire among consumers to live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle, glass is preferred because it preserves the taste of its contents, is considered to be healthy and safe; and - since it can be recycled endlessly – is very environmentally friendly.

Commissioned by FEVE (the European Container Glass Federation), the InSites study asked over 8,000 consumers in 17 countries across Europe about their perception of different packaging materials. The survey reveals that 65% of consumers prefer glass because they believe it is best at preserving taste and 63% perceive that it is safest for their health, while almost half say it is the most environmentally-friendly form of packaging.

The survey’s findings strongly reflect a growing trend among consumers: the desire to live a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. This has been seen in the booming organic foods market, the return to popularity of home-cooking and preserving, and an increasing awareness and interest in our foods’ sources and ingredients. In tandem with this

health-awareness, recycling rates have grown steadily over the past decade – with the latest figures showing that 67% of glass is now being recycled in Europe – showing consumers’ concern for the environment.

“When you look at the way we as consumers have developed in the past decade, it’s not surprising that glass is gaining popularity,” says Jonathan Marshall, European Marketing Director of O-I – the world’s leading glass packaging manufacturer. “Where artificial preservatives and additives were once accepted, and the emphasis was on convenience rather than taste, consumers are now looking for authentic products that taste as fresh and natural as possible.”

While consumers prefer glass, in some cases preference far exceeds actual usage, demonstrating that there is an opportunity for manufacturers to better meet the needs of their consumers.

Jonathan Marshall says: “Today’s informed consumers want to make choices that have a positive impact on their own and their families’ health, as well as the health of the planet. Pure, natural and 100% recyclable, glass is completely in-tune with this trend towards a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle: it’s not surprising that 40% of consumers would recommend glass as a packaging material to their friends and family.”

ENDS


Additional Information from the survey

Glass for taste

Homogenous and inert, glass packaging preserves the taste of its contents naturally, with no need for an inner barrier or lining, which is why it has long been the preferred material for spirits, wines and beers – products where flavour is everything. Protecting not only the taste but also the aroma and texture of what’s inside, glass is also the perfect material for packaging fresh products made from pure, natural ingredients, such as fruit juices, smoothies and tomato-based sauces. Reflecting this, the InSites survey reveals that the preference for glass is particularly high when it comes to certain food and drink categories - namely alcoholic beverages, water, juices, soft drinks and dairy products.

Glass for Health

Consumers associate glass packaging with health benefits for a number of reasons. Firstly it keeps the “good things” such as vitamins in – 50% of those questioned in the InSites survey believe that glass best preserves nutritional values.

Secondly, glass is perceived as “safe” for consumers’ health, offering reassurance at a time when the potential health risks of other materials such as PET are being debated by health professionals and reported in the media. These concerns have recently led the European Commission to publish a recommendation that parents use glass baby bottles.

Demonstrating consumers’ health concerns, the survey shows that most European consumers believe that the packaging materials used for food and beverages may cause chemical interactions with the contents inside, but in the case of glass, this interaction is considered to be the lowest of all packaging materials (12%). Made from natural raw ingredients and a trusted packaging material for over 3,000 years, glass actually poses no threat of chemical reaction and is completely safe for consumers’ health.

Glass for the Environment

In the InSites survey, nearly half of European consumers rank glass as the most environmentally-friendly packaging product, with almost 80% saying that glass can be recycled into the same or similar packaging without any loss of quality – outranking all other materials. Displaying consumers’ increasing awareness of the green benefits of glass, 48% of people believe that glass is the least harmful packaging material for the environment, rising from 37% two years ago, and an overwhelming majority say that they recycle their glass.

The survey shows that as consumers’ health- and environment-consciousness grows, glass is becoming more and more relevant, and consumers are keen to learn more about the benefits of glass. “Friends of Glass” – the European consumer forum initiated by FEVE (the European Container Packaging Federation) – is gaining momentum, with 65% of survey respondents saying they had more positive opinions about glass having seen the initiative and 60% indicating an intention to change their purchasing behaviour.

The survey slides and country data are available on www.feve.org

About the InSites survey
In December 2010, an online survey was conducted in 17 European countries (UK, the Netherlands, Germany, France, Poland, Austria, Czech Republic, Belgium, Hungary, Portugal, Spain, Italy, Greece, Turkey, Slovakia, Sweden, Switzerland) by the independent market research agency InSites Consulting. In each country, around 500 consumers, aged between 18 and 55, completed the questionnaire. The results are representative for the total population of each country. It is the second time this InSites survey was held among European consumers and is a follow-up of the previous one held in 2008.

About O-I
Owens-Illinois, Inc. (NYSE: OI) is the world’s largest glass container manufacturer and preferred partner for many of the world’s leading food and beverage brands. With revenues of $6.6 billion in 2010, the company is headquartered in Perrysburg, Ohio, USA, and employs more than 24,000 people at 81 plants in 21 countries. O-I delivers safe, effective and sustainable glass packaging solutions to a growing global marketplace. For more information, visit www.o-i.com.

About Friends of Glass
Friends of Glass is a self-fed European consumer forum that supports and promotes the right of consumers to be able to choose food and drink products in glass packaging. It unites all those who believe glass is the clear choice for themselves, their families and for the environment. Friends of Glass was initiated in 2009 by the European Container Glass Federation (or FEVE) in response to a pan-European survey commissioned by FEVE in September 2008 by the research institute InSites, which found that 74% of European consumers prefer glass packaging for their food and drinks.

About FEVE
FEVE (The European Container Glass Federation) is the association of European manufacturers of glass packaging containers and machine-made glass tableware. The federation represents the glass container industry at the international, and especially European, level and serves as a forum for examining common questions. FEVE maintains a dialogue with the European institutions and agencies on environmental, trade and other important issues. The federation promotes glass packaging and glass recycling, complementing the activities of the glass industry at the national level.

Issued on behalf of O-I
For further information contact:
Philip Tutt at 360° Integrated Marketing Solutions
Tel: + 44 (0) 7785 718901 E-mail: Philip@360integrated.com