BPF survey shows majority of UK consumers ‘prefer’ plastic containers

22 April 2014


More than three-quarters of UK consumers prefer to “squeeze their tomato ketchup out of a plastic container than shake it out of a glass bottle”, according to a survey commissioned by the British Plastics Federation's Packaging Group.

The UK plastics industry association commissioned leading opinion poll specialist YouGov to conduct the survey, in which the opinions of 2,157 UK respondents were sought on dispensing preferences for “the nation’s favourite table sauce”.

While 77% overall preferred plastic bottles, there was a slight gender difference, with 79% of women preferring the plastic option, compared to 74% of men.

BPF says that its survey results highlight “the many beneficial properties of such a container for tomato ketchup”, in terms of handling, flexibility and controlling the amount dispensed, as well as enabling consumers to get more of the product out of the bottle more easily.

In addition to ketchup bottles, other plastic containers were also judged favourably in the YouGov survey, BPF says.

When asked to rank products in terms of their safety, convenience, versatility, innovativeness and openability, plastic containers (eg, beans container, plastic shower bottles, margarine tubs and water bottles) “collectively gained 70% and over” of votes by respondents.

In the particular area of safety, consumers were asked to rank a glass bottle, a plastic bottle, a cardboard carton and a metal can in terms of their practicality and safety in all parts of the household.

According to BPF, in the kitchen, bathroom, shower cubicle, bedroom and nursery, plastic bottles were ranked as “the most safe and most practical 100% of the time”.

Philip Law, director general designate of the BPF, commented on the results of the YouGov survey: “These independent findings tell an important story, that the plastics packaging industry has researched and responded successfully to the needs and preferences of UK consumers of all ages."

Not only does plastics packaging address society’s sustainability goals, Law said, it “gets the basic job done extraordinarily well”, both protecting the product and being easy to use for the consumer.

www.bpf.co.uk



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