Consumers increasingly loyal to cans for their sustainability

The Canned Good campaign has published research showing that promoting the benefits of sustainable food packaging can protect brands from unexpected price increases. This work has been carried out in conjunction with agency ERM Shelton.

Those familiar with the campaign were 21% more likely to purchase steel food cans with an arbitrary 30% price increase, compared to those who were unfamiliar with the message.
Suzanne Shelton, senior partner at ERM Shelton said: “The key takeaway from this research is that when you do the right thing for people and the planet, and promote it, consumers are more likely to stay loyal to your brand, even if there are disruptions in your supply chain.”

Research on the effects of metal packaging on food waste shows that steel food cans alone prevent more than 2.2 billion pounds of food waste each year, compared to food packaged for refrigeration or freezing. In addition, steel food cans can incorporate, on average, up to 35% recycled content. And if recycled steel is not incorporated into a new can, it can easily become any other steel product, all of which are recyclable and continue the circular use of the material. That’s why more than 75% of all steel produced is still in use today.

“Year over year, we have seen that familiarity breeds favorability, and consumers who are exposed to The Canned Good campaign message have higher net promoter and favorability scores toward steel food cans compared to those who have not been exposed.” said Susannah Enkema, partner and vice president of research and analytics at ERM Shelton.

“While the surface conclusion is that consumers have loyalty to brands and products that do the right thing for the planet, there is another underlying connection to the idea that, if you do the right thing for the planet, you are a good company. We believe this means people will also be more likely to forgive you for mistakes, curbing defection in a world of fickle shoppers.”