One-Third of Shoppers Prefer to Buy Fresh Foods in Plastic Containers
With increasing concerns about both food safety and the environment, there are pros and cons to using plastic packaging for fresh foods. Add to that, consumer demand for convenience, and the question becomes even more complicated. This variety of consumer expectations begs the question: ”What do consumers want when it comes to packaging?” And does that vary by department?
A recent study by Category Partners (CP) revealed that about one-third of shoppers prefer to buy their fresh foods in plastics containers, whether in bags, clamshells or overwrap. That number varies somewhat by department, with 39% of respondents saying they prefer to buy fresh meat in plastic packaging, compared to a somewhat lower 29% of respondents who prefer to buy produce in plastic packaging.*
On the other side of the scale, although a smaller number, there are consumers who do not want their fresh foods in plastic. Nearly one-quarter, 23%, of consumers said they avoid buying produce in plastic packaging whenever possible. Again, the numbers vary by department, with 12% avoiding meat packaged in plastic, and an equal number avoiding deli items in plastic packaging. It is also important to note that across all fresh departments, nearly 40% said they do not care either way.