Consumers Yearn for Better Packaging - Brief Article

USA Today (Society for the Advancement of Education), April, 2000

Research from The Consumer Network shows that Americans' perceptions of food and beverage packaging have shifted dramatically. Instead of viewing it as a necessary evil, consumers see desirable packages as a reason to purchase, and packages they don't like as a reason to avoid products they might otherwise choose. Triggering such a shift is a critical mass of consumer-friendly packages that relieve widely experienced frustrations, delight the eye, or facilitate multi-tasking lifestyles with new levels of convenience and flexibility.

Over 70% of the more than 1,600 responses to a Consumer Network poll were able to site specific packages that had significantly improved in the last year or so. Over 65% were able to cite packages that still needed improving and the types of improvements they hope to see. Twist-off closures on juice cartons were the most widely noted improvement, followed by personal-size milk bottles, zipper closures, and no-spill (sports-cap) water bottles. Consumers also applaud ergonomic packages shaped to fit the hand (so far, mostly in cleaning and dishwashing products) and eye-pleasing graphics.

Many consumers think that all gable-top milk containers should have spouts or yield to alternative kinds of user-friendly and more-convenient packages. They see soft drinks as failing to keep up with the needs for smaller sizes, hand and mouth fit, reclosing, fizz retention, and sturdier bottoms. They like plastic, but miss the cold-keeping attributes of glass.

A majority of respondents says that packaging improvements are needed in sugar and flour (80%), drugs in pill and tablet form (68%), crackers and cookies (61%), chips (58%), canned soft drinks (58%), cereal (57%), milk (55%), and two-liter soft drinks (50%).

The research also reveals wide interest in packages that can be harmlessly composted or put in the garbage disposal, can be stored anywhere from fanny packs to desk drawers, and go beyond tamper evidence to showing abuse that sometimes causes damaged or broken contents. Packages that notify consumers when leftovers have gone bad also have great appeal.