More than half of UK adults believe cans are better for the environment

You may have noticed that cans are competing for an increasing amounnt of shelf space in the supermarkets recently. And it’s not just in the soft drinks aisles.

Premium brands are adopting cans rapidly, with bold designs catching the eye of customers in shops up and down the country. Considering the versatility of the can and its 360-degree printable surface, it is no surprise that more brands are taking advantage of the can.

But brands know that standing out on the shelf is only one part of the appeal to consumers. Sustainability is more important than ever with consumers wanting packaging solutions to do their bit for the environment by being convenient to recycle, whilst still looking great on the shelf and in their hand.

New research by the Can Makers, due to be published soon, will show that more than half of UK adults believe cans are better for the environment than any other packaging material and more than two thirds believe that cans are the best option for drinks on-the-go.

Al fresco drinks have soared in popularity in recent years, and with the variety of beverages now available in cans greater than ever before, there has been unprecedented growth in the sales of canned drinks. Consumers know that high quality wine and bar-quality cocktails for instance, are now readily available in cans.

The findings in the Can Makers research follows a survey conducted by Metal Packaging Europe (MPE) which showed that more than 75% of consumers would choose the beverage can over other packaging formats, once they were aware of the can’s sustainability benefits. In fact, the new research reveals that a significant proportion of the UK population would like to see more wine, cocktails, fruit juices, and coffee in cans.

Cans are already the most recycled beverage packaging format in the world and a recent Co-op report revealed that ethical consumerism is now worth £122 billion in the UK. Therefore, there is little doubt that the number of consumers choosing cans as the sustainable, easy to recycle and convenient option will continue to rise in the months and years ahead.

The future is clearly bright for the can, and the Can Makers new research shows an increasingly high percentage of consumers are opting for cans as the sustainable choice.