Coffee consumers across Europe have very specific requirements: taste, aroma, brand and price are all key elements when it comes to choosing the right coffee.
Packaging definitely plays its part in the decision, too, with 70% of consumers stating that they have – at least sometimes – purchased a coffee product purely because they were influenced by the packaging.
Research conducted by the global packaging developer Amcor across five European countries – Germany, Italy, Spain, France, and the UK – has found that package size and ease of opening are at the top of the list of desired features for consumers when it comes to their packaging needs.
Consumers tend to turn away from products whose packaging is not performing well, in terms of convenience or design, and they are also put off by overpackaging.
Convenience And Sustainability Influence Repurchasing Intent
According to the research, one in five European consumers stopped purchasing coffee products due to dissatisfaction with the packaging.
Convenience is vital, as 50% of respondents see it as a key feature – and 33% of consumers state that they would not repurchase a pack if it wasn’t easy to use. By highlighting convenient features, such as ‘easy to open’, on the pack, brands can use packaging to attract consumers.
Sustainability is also seen as especially important in the coffee sector, with 44% of consumers affirming that sustainable packaging positively influences their repurchasing decisions – and the 18-34 demographic is most mindful, with 46% prioritising social and environmental factors.
Furthermore, one in five consumers indicated that she/he/they would forgo buying a coffee brand perceived as unsustainable, and 35% of respondents said that they would be put off by overpackaging. This percentage is even higher in Germany, where 43% see excessive packaging as a strong deterrent to repurchasing.
Growing Importance Of Sustainability Claims
Nearly 60% of European respondents prioritise ‘less plastic’ and ‘recyclable’ claims on packaging. In the UK, ‘recyclability’ stands out, with 73% of Brits stating that it is very important to them.
Amcor’s very sustainable coffee packaging solutions, such as the AmPrima® Plus Recycle-Ready range, target this desire directly.
AmPrima® Plus recycle-ready bags, pouches, and stick packs accommodate various pack formats and sizes while maintaining the necessary barrier, stiffness, seal strength, and graphic performance of conventional packaging.
Amcor’s solutions can also reduce brands’ packaging carbon footprint by up to 73%, compared to standard coffee packs.
To know more about coffee packaging trends and this research, or for support with your packaging choices, reach out to Amcor’s coffee expert, Giorgio Dini, at giorgio.dini@amcor.com.
This article was written in partnership with Amcor.
