Page 28

particularly around recyclability and taste. Perception of cans also improves with age in that market; 14 to 17 year-olds have the lowest general perception, while 35 to 54 year-olds have the highest.Germany, meanwhile, mirrors France in that males rate the can’s recyclability higher than females. By contrast to France, though, it is the youngest demographic (14 to 17 year-olds) who perceive cans most favourably, especially on taste. Meanwhile, the positive news from Spain is that cans now outperform every other drinks pack on perceived taste and recyclability – with consumer perceptions of the can’s recyclability significantly improved since 2011. As in France and Germany, Spanish males perceive cans more positively than females on all aspects measured. And like France, it is older consumers (35 to 54 year-olds) who view the can most positively.DEPLOYING THE DATAThe research adds weight to BCME’s consumer intelligence mill, says Norman Lett, and will be used to inform future campaigns and activities. “The findings from this latest report are very positive and mean we have further vital and up-to-date marketing information for our individual country groups who can build it into their programmes. Over the course of the next couple of years they will be very carefully targeting all of the areas raised by the report.”nof cans’ recyclability was also high, testament to the success of BCME consumer campaigns such as Every Can Counts (see page 30), which seeks to build awareness among the general public of the can’s eco-credentials.And while recyclability of drinks packaging was found to be of secondary importance to consumers compared to considerations such as taste and value for money, it still emerged as being of relative significance, especially among 35 to 54 year-olds.Equally, while pack appearance is growing in importance it is still not a key consumer need. That said, it holds more currency for the younger age group, with 14 to 17 year-olds expressing a preference for packs that look “cool and attractive”. But the key universal headline was that for today’s European consumer the taste of the beverage trumps all other considerations. Not only that, but individuals polled unanimously agreed that thanks to features such as Easy Chill and the fact that they are light-proof and hermetically sealed, the can was the best pack for guaranteeing that a drink is fresh and tasty.NATIONAL VALUESDrilling down to individual national markets, there is also plenty for can makers and fillers to ponder across their own territories.In the UK, for example, cans are valued more highly than alternative packs on most indicators, including taste, recyclability and convenience, with their performance up on 2011.British females also view cans more favourably than males, especially around taste and convenience, while older consumers (aged 35 to 54) perceive cans more positively than their younger counterparts on taste and recyclability.In France, on the other hand, males typically rate cans higher than females, growth in the use of cans at home, in both solitary and sociable situations, while can usage over all was up across all four markets for all given occasions.NEEDS AND BENEFITSIn terms of consumer needs and the ways in which the can is meeting them, a diverse picture emerged according to factors such as age and gender.Women, for example, are more likely to want packs to be light, easy to store, re-closable and recyclable. As Lett points out, the can strongly delivers on most of these fronts. “Advances in technology and engineering mean the can is now lighter than it has ever been – the walls of today’s can are thinner than a human hair. Being stackable, they are great for storage. And, of course, they are 100 per cent recyclable.”Encouragingly, in the majority of the markets women’s perception 28 EUROPEAN CAN MARKET REPORT 2016 CONSUMER RESEARCH