| |
 | |
| 02 May 2006 | |
| |
Roger Steens, Marketing Manager Corus Packaging Plus Pouches and laminate carton are very vocal on what they see as the benefits they bring to heat-processed food products. They pride themselves on being modern, convenient and environmentally superior. For years we have had to listen to visionaries that say there is no future for the can, they say we are a mature industry that produces old fashioned and boring packs… Enough! There is a growing awareness in our industry that we should not let poor imitations of the original food can get away with presenting themselves as the ‘new, improved’ alternative. As an industry we realise how essential communication is to break some of these traditional perceptions. Benefit led communication on the can is imperative to break some of the dated perceptions that have built up over the years. To strengthen our position in the market place and to ensure the long-term future of our business we need to continue shifting the dialogue. Traditionally, we have spoken about the efficiency of our filling lines, running at 600+ packs a minute. We speak about our extreme low failure ratio in can closure, excellent seam integrity and long shelf live. Impressive, but this is not about the facts. This is about how cans are perceived and what these facts really mean in terms of value. And so we need to adopt the right references to get the value message across. This is the start of how we can begin breaking down some of these traditional perceptions. So how offensive and outspoken can we really be? Well, I think we have excellent credentials to bring about this change. Other pack formats show disturbingly high failure rates in closing, the can does not. They need additives to preserve food and do not offer a truly sustainable profile that satisfies today’s environmental issues. The can on the other hand, is unproblematic. It is the only packaging solution that makes it possible to offer a safe, healthy and natural product and all of that, at a reasonable price! To hit that message home we only need to rephrase: The steel can is THE reference point for heat-processed food packaging! We have some very nice “facts” to back that up: The can is the only pack format for heat-processed food that allows brands to keep their products natural. Whereas plastics pouches and cartons need to add antioxidants to keep the red of tomato soup red and chicken broth from going rancid. The steel can is the only packaging for heat-processed food that “locks in nutrition naturally”. The steel can offers a 100% barrier against water, light and air; it also has an unmatched closing integrity - about one can in a million. Our status as an experienced industry (not mature!) affords us the capability to pick out this one can, a rate very difficult to match comparatively. The shelf-life on offer is not just about traditional perceptions of convenience. It means much more, our “gold label”, our “mark of quality” is unmatched when it comes to food safety performance and quality. The steel can is by far the safest packaging for processed food. A recent study* showed that across six criteria, steel cans have a lower then average environmental impact compared with other packaging options like plastic pouches and laminate carton: The steel can stands out as the sustainable top performer in packaging. The cost of an unfilled pack and very high line speeds sets the can far apart from more expensive competition. Being tough and unbreakable the can offers performance and product integrity that no other pack can match. It is the top performer in the retail supply chain: The steel can offers unparalleled value for money as it stands out for its robustness, efficiency and economy. As a supply chain we take these benefits seriously. Initiatives like Canned Food UK and UPPIA are communicating to consumers on excellent values of canned food. Apeal, The Association of European Producers of Steel for Packaging has initiated a business-to-business communication campaign: “Trusted experience, Value for the future”. And with EMPAC mobilising all players in the metal packaging industry, we increase the effectiveness towards meeting a common objective. Is this enough? I don’t think so. Communicating effectively to change perception is vital but its not single-handedly going to change our currant position. We are lagging behind and are up against some very strong opponents with powerful messages and impressive growth figures. Being quicker in the realisation of new steel packaging formats is essential. Convenience is now a necessity, consumers demand it and brands strive to deliver it. We need to work out what that means for the evolution of steel packaging, for both existing and new generation steel packs. Finally if we are going to tackle this perception of the can being dated, we need to take responsibility for how it looks. Brand enhancement though decorative developments for material, pack bodies, closures, labels and print could go a long way to change how the steel can is perceived. Lets help dress the can up for the brands of the future. But let’s not loose heart “Is the glass half full or half empty?”. As an industry we are tremendously successful in bringing about and delivering new initiatives. As well as our established communications activities, exciting new developments like new steel grades and polymer-coated steels have already brought about new opportunities for the steel packaging industry. Let’s congratulate ourselves on the tide of change we have initiated, let us continue our commitment to the collaborative effort of pooling our powerful resources. Lets focus on ultimately growing our revenue on the back of the benchmark for heat-processed food – the steel food can! Roger Steens
| |
|
