In 1994, as a prelude to the Consumer Awareness Program for Canned Food, the Steel Packaging Council conducted a three-phase research study to determine consumer attitudes and perceptions about various types of food, including canned food. The first phase was a secondary review of existing data, followed by a quantitative survey of 1,000 household grocery shoppers. A further analysis involved focus group sessions with primary grocery shoppers.
Additional research is planned at intervals throughout the life of the program.
What follows are highlights from the initial research. Purchase Patterns Canned food purchase patterns are the most constant when compared to fresh, frozen and food in glass containers. Nearly seven in 10 survey respondents reported they had not varied their canned food purchase habits within the past year. This feedback is good news for canners, demonstrating a rather stable base of canned food consumers. This is proven by statistics showing relatively flat sales of steel products for cans.