Research: Canned foods, modern convenience or old-fashioned packaging?

It has been an extraordinary year for the canned food market. Around 61 billion cans are produced globally each year, and 2020 saw new growth as many shoppers stockpiled essential items with a long shelf life.

Now is a good time for canned food brands to maximise the opportunity brought about by this surge in interest. But could all this new potential be limited by consumer concerns about the safety and accessibility of cans?

Our research shows there’s opportunity to reach new customers for canned foods by addressing key pain points when it comes to packaging.

Our Market Insights team gathered input from over 1,500 consumers to discover their perceptions of canned food. Through a combination of in-person interviews and online surveys in Spain, France, Italy, Germany, and China, our research team uncovered consumer pain points and preferences about canned food.

Read on for highlights from our findings. And download our full report to learn more and get country-specific results.

__1. Perceptions of canned food impact consumer buying decisions __

Consumers like the convenience of ready-to-eat canned foods. But the biggest barrier they see is how easy it is to access the food. Many perceive cans as too difficult or unsafe to open, and this significantly impacts their buying decisions. Across the people we surveyed, for those who never buy canned food, the most popular reason given was that cans are unsafe to open.

2. Easy-opening systems are most popular with young consumers

We tested consumers’ response to different types of can opening systems, including the classic Easy-Open ring-pull versus a Peel-Off-End aluminium membrane. While older people might be assumed to benefit more from easy-open solutions, our research showed that it is actually people aged 18 to 34 who are the most swayed by easy-opening and safety. For brands wanting to reach a younger audience (the family decision-makers of the future) Peel-Off-Ends could be an exciting opportunity to modernize can opening.

3. Consumers are more likely to buy canned food if it has a peel-off opening

Customers in every market we surveyed would be significantly more likely to buy a canned product with a Peel-Off-End than a standard Easy-Open ring pull. Cans with a lightweight, smooth edged Peel-Off-End are perceived as easier and safer to open, more sustainable, and more attractive.

__4. Brands can drive canned food premiumization __

When asked about perceptions of canned foods overall, our research showed that 33% of UK consumers and 25% of Spanish consumers think canned food is low quality. Peel-Off-Ends were perceived to be a sign of a higher quality product, presenting an interesting opportunity for brands to modernize their packaging.

Changes to the way we shop, cook, and eat have created potential for canned food brands to tap into new audiences and increase purchases among existing consumers. In 2020, research from Tesco revealed that the average person was cooking between 17 to 21 meals per week at home – four times the amount they used to. And canned foods are trending amongst chefs and the media. Influencers such as Jack Monroe, food blogger and author of Tin Can Cook, are promoting different ways to cook with canned foods.

Brands can take the lead in this category through safer and more convenient packaging solutions for canned food, with solutions such as Amcor’s AluFix and CanSealPro peel-off-end portfolios.

*To learn more about the research findings, contact us and book a private presentation of the study from a member of our team. *