Canadean, a leading consumer market research company with locations around the world, recently conducted a study that indicated consumers, particularly those in the UK, are concerned about not only the freshness and safety of the foods they eat, but what’s on the outside – including dirt, bacteria, and germs. Considering that consumers never know who has handled products on the shelf, this worry is actually quite legitimate.
The survey revealed that dents, dust, and discoloration were not top concerns, however about half of Britons worried about bacteria or germs that may be lurking on the outside of food cans. Canadean lead analyst Michael Hughes said that this concern indicates the move of our society toward further sterilization measures. According to the market research company, it is expected that packaging designed to delay the development of bacteria and germs will be a hit with consumers.
Consumers 55+ were most worried about whether canned goods may have germs or bacteria on them, while younger people (age 18 to 24) were far less concerned. The biggest concern of all among those who participated in the study was whether cans appeared to have been opened.
Hughes determined that consumers may have concerns about food packaging when directly asked about it, but that few would likely not purchase canned products because of the worry of possible bacteria presence. Still, even if consumers are not as worried about bacteria and germs on packaging as the study indicated, he felt that brands would benefit as consumers would relate antibacterial packaging with improved quality and safety.
As leading providers of industrial coding and marking solutions, REA JET understands the importance of packaging in consumer trust and building brand awareness. The more packaging technologies change, the more demand for indelible printing solutions capable of marking on these substrates will increase. One thing is certain: Packaging of foods and other consumer goods is constantly changing. Will antibacterial packaging be common around the globe in the coming years?