The reputation of tinplate food packaging has increased in Europe. This was the result of a survey in some of the most populous countries. Certain characteristics are more important to people in Germany than to consumers in other European countries. Among other things, they value canned food because of its shelf life.
Around one in three people in Europe consider canned food to be more practical today than it was just a few years ago. This is the result of a survey conducted by market research company Norstat on behalf of tinplate manufacturer thyssenkrupp Rasselstein in seven European countries, including Germany. Here Almost one in four (23 per cent) of those surveyed said that the can had become an integral part of their everyday lives, more so than in any other participating country.
The feature of tinned food that particularly impresses respondents in Germany is its shelf life. Almost two thirds (65 per cent) say that this aspect is more important to them today than it was a few years ago. This puts them well above the European average, where only just over half of respondents (54 per cent) hold this view. One possible reason: People in Germany are storing more food than before. More than one in three (36 per cent) of those surveyed stated that they had stockpiled more supplies in recent years.
This is mainly for practical reasons: 26 per cent like to use canned food for spontaneous cooking and then fall back on their stock. Canned food offers clear advantages, because they can be stored unrefrigerated. They are also usually pre-cooked and only need to be heated, not cooked. This significantly reduces the amount of energy required for storage and preparation.
Tinplate packaging is chosen more consciously
The perception of the environmental compatibility of cans has also changed in recent years. 15 per cent of people in Europe now see the can as more sustainable, 16 per cent are more aware of the recyclability factor. At the same time, packaging has become a more important criterion in purchasing decisions. In Germany, around one in eight (12 per cent) now choose food more frequently based on its packaging. At the same time, 18 per cent now choose consciously for tinplate packaging.
„The survey results suggest that consumers in Germany, even more so than other respondents in Europe, value cans primarily for their functional properties. However, there is still room for improvement when it comes to environmental issues. That's why we are continuing to campaign for the positive characteristics of tinplate packaging to take centre stage.“
Nicole Korb, Spokeswoman of the initiative weissblech-kommt-weiter
European population saves on shopping and eating out
The background to the survey is the crises of recent years. According to the survey disrupted supply chains, increased inflation and general economic uncertainty has had a significant impact on the shopping behaviour of European consumers. More than half (56 per cent) pay more attention to price when shopping, while a quarter (25 per cent) shop less spontaneously. However, one in three (33 per cent) have not changed their shopping behaviour. A total of 7042 people in Germany, the UK, France, Italy, Spain, Poland and Sweden took part in the survey in October 2023.
Source: thyssenkrupp Rasselstein
