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Food and Drink Packaging Trends - US - April 2008

SCOPE AND THEMES
What you need to know
Definition
Consumer survey data
Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
Terms
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Overview
Sustainability
Sustainability innovation and innovators
Sustainability and the consumer
Functionality
Functionality innovation and innovators
Functionality and the consumer
Health, wellness, and safety
Health and wellness innovation and innovators
Health, wellness and the consumer
INSIGHTS AND OPPORTUNITIES
 PACKAGING IS IN THE EYE OF THE BEHOLDER
Consumer trends hold the keys: sustainability, functionality, and health and wellness
But consumers are not created equal
Give me a flamin’ hot snack; I don’t care what bag it’s in
I want healthy food (and don’t trick me; I’ll read the label), and don’t pollute
A tie does exist between all-natural/organic and enviro/health concern
 ARTHRITIS SUFFERERS UNDER-SERVED
FAST FORWARD TRENDS
 TRANSPARENCY
What’ve we’ve seen
Expectations for packaging transparency are high
Manufacturer beware—they’re going to get higher—and the bag’s on you
 CONSUMER AS DETECTIVE
What we've seen
Road to packaging ‘truth’ difficult to navigate
Maybe that’s why independent nutrition labels are a mixed blessing
What to do?
MARKET FACTORS: AN OVERVIEW
Consumer in the driver’s seat
Figure 1: How the consumer plays a role in product and packaging issues
But consumers want it all
Figure 2: Product label information that influences shoppers to buy food, beverage and home consumer packaged goods, 2007
SUSTAINABILITY: MARKET FACTORS
The reaction
Figure 3: Leading environmental and social programs that fall within the context of sustainability, 2007
When green is not predictable
Figure 4: Green lifestyle choices, January 2008
SUSTAINABILITY: INNOVATION AND INNOVATORS
Key points
Plastic bottles exact a heavy price
Innovative beverage packaging can address environmental, ecological, and ethical concerns
Ergonomic and environmentally friendly
Environment and ethics
Reducing the carbon footprint
Environmental nuances
Waste reduction and functionality
SUSTAINABILITY: THE CONSUMER
Key points
Consumers place onus on manufacturers; age affects reuse and recycling behavior
Figure 5: Attitudes toward and usage of plastic bottles, by age, February 2008
Recycling does not cut evenly across income brackets
Figure 6: Attitudes toward and usage of plastic bottles, by household income, February 2008
The more children in the house, the more plastic bottles are reused
Figure 7: Attitudes toward and usage of plastic bottles, by presence of children under 18 in household, February 2008
FUNCTIONALITY: MARKET FACTORS
Convenience: from important to indispensable
Time
Figure 8: Leading new products introduced in microwaveable category, 2003-07
Ease-of-use innovation lacking
Ease of use is a lifestyle issue
Disabled consumers overlooked
Restaurants are out and kitchens are in: putting a spotlight on packaging
FUNCTIONALITY: INNOVATION AND INNOVATORS
Key points
Spill/splash protection innovators in foreign lands can make a U.S. splash
Microwaveable portability trend afoot here in the U.S.
Easy-grip innovation from Japan
Ease of use also means easy to read, easy to understand
FUNCTIONALITY: THE CONSUMER
Key points
Setting the stage: assessing use of different soup packaging formats
Figure 9: Purchasing incidence of soup, February 2008
Canned soup rules; plastic and cardboard on the periphery
Figure 10: Types of soup packaging used, February 2008
Microwave packaging lags behind consumer behavior
Figure 11: How consumers prepare their soup, February 2008
The portability equation: soup goes mobile
Figure 12: Relationship of packaging to preparation choice, by gender, February 2008
Figure 13: Relationship of packaging to preparation choice, by age, February 2008
HEALTH, WELLNESS AND SAFETY: MARKET FACTORS
Key points
 HEALTH AND WELLNESS
Labeling intended to educate may actually foster confusion
Figure 14: Sample nutrition symbols on U.S. food and beverage products
 HEALTH AND SAFETY
Safety concerns drive packaging technology
PET on the rack, but PLA needs to win converts
Portion control meets environmental waste
Intelligent packaging offers hope
HEALTH AND WELLNESS: INNOVATION AND INNOVATORS
Key points
Portion control: for weight loss or convenience
Multi-appeal: portion control as convenience and nutrition
Common sense nutrition and health
“Free from” and clean appeal
HEALTH AND WELLNESS: THE CONSUMER
Key points
Attitudes toward portion-controlled products
Portion-controlled packaging has arrived and it’s here to stay
Figure 15: Usage of portion-controlled packaging, by gender, February 2008
Portion-controlled packaging gets strong marks from users
Figure 16: Attitudes toward portion-controlled packaging, by gender, February 2008
Figure 17: Attitudes toward portion-controlled packaging, by age, February 2008
Labeling for health
Figure 18: Attitudes toward health claims and product labeling, by age, February 2008
Consumer understanding of nutrition symbols
Setting the stage
Smart Spot succeeds on awareness; small contingent of active seekers
Figure 19: Usage of “Smart Spot” products, by age, February 2008
Program knowledge lags program awareness; Internet information queries virtually nil
Figure 20: Knowledge about “Smart Spot” logo, February 2008
Among active seekers, program is resounding success
Figure 21: Relationship of “Smart Spot” label to making better food choices, by gender and age, February 2008
CUSTOM CONSUMER GROUPS
Usage of portion-controlled products by health attitude
Setting the stage
Bottom line
Figure 22: Usage of portion-controlled packaging, by health attitudes, February 2008
Labeling for health
Setting the stage
Bottom line
Figure 23: Attitudes toward health claims and product labeling, by response subgroup, February 2008
Consumer understanding of nutrition symbols
Setting the stage
Bottom line
Figure 24: Usage of “Smart Spot” products, by health attitudes, February 2008
CLUSTER ANALYSIS
Environmental and Healthy Eating Indifferent
Healthy Environmentalists
Smart-spotters
Figure 25: Package user clusters, February 2008
Figure 26: Attitudes towards and usage of pastic bottles, by package user clusters, February 2008
Figure 27: Usage of “Smart Spot” products, by package user clusters, February 2008
Figure 28: Attitudes towards the “Smart Spot” logo, by package user clusters, February 2008
Figure 29: Health attitudes, by package user clusters, February 2008
Figure 30: Package user clusters, by gender, February 2008
Figure 31: Package user clusters, by age, February 2008
Figure 32: Package user clusters, by income, February 2008
Figure 33: Package user clusters, by race, February 2008
Figure 34: Package user clusters, by Hispanic origin, February 2008
Methodology
INNOVATION AND INNOVATORS: EMERGING PACKAGING TRENDS
 ACTIVE (INTELLIGENT) PACKAGING
Label technology
Nanotechnology
Mouth feel
Multimedia brand reach
Beverages as mouthpieces for interactive ideas: Coca-Cola around the world
Sensory branding
Emulating flavor and taste outside the box
Tactile
Visual appeal—eating with color
Packaging strategies that stand out in the crowd
Linked product strategy
Hi-octane
Edgy with a punch
RETAIL TRENDSETTERS AND INNOVATORS
Wal-Mart shows a greener side
APPENDIX: OTHER USEFUL CONSUMER TABLES
Figure 35: Attitudes toward and usage of plastic bottles, by educational attainment, February 2008
Figure 36: Attitudes toward health claims and product labeling, by educational attainment, February 2008
Figure 37: Attitudes toward portion-controlled packaging, by race/ethnicity, February 2008
Figure 38: Attitudes toward health claims and product labeling, by gender, February 2008
Figure 39: Attitudes toward health claims and product labeling, by household income, February 2008
APPENDIX: TRADE ASSOCIATIONS

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