Author: Mintel Group Ltd.
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Food Packaging Trends - US - July 2014
Scope and Themes
 
What you need to know 
Food product introductions featuring new packaging have grown strongly over the past five years as many manufacturers opted for repackaging their existing products to attract new audiences, rather than introduce completely new products. Shoppers are paying attention to product packaging materials, nutrition, and sustainability, and want as much information as possible prior to making a purchase. In turn, this will increase demand for packaging that is transparent, multifunctional, and features easy-to-read claims.

This report also provides in-depth analysis of:

●	Shoppers’ packaging-related behaviors when buying food products
●	Which packaging features are most and least important to shoppers
●	Which product claims shoppers actively seek when making food purchases
●	Which attributes shoppers associate with a variety of packaging types, including glass, cardboard, metal cans, flexible pouches, plastic bags, and more
●	The most influential product packaging factors that would influence shoppers to select one product over a competing product
●	Attitudes toward product packaging claims and quality

Definition 
This report builds on the analysis presented in Mintel’s Food Packaging Trends – US, July 2013, Beverage Packaging Trends – US, February 2013, Beverage Packaging Trends – US, January 2012, Beverage Packaging Trends – US, February 2011, and Beverage Packaging Trends – US, February 2010 reports, as well as Packaging Trends in Food and Drink – US, March 2009 and Food and Drink Packaging Trends – US, April 2008.

For the purposes of this report, Mintel will cover trends in food packaging, including all packaging types commonly used for shelf-stable, refrigerated, and frozen food items. In addition, food labeling and claims are discussed, particularly as they relate to themes applicable to the report.

Responses to consumer survey questions in this report are based on a sample of internet users aged 18+ who are primary or shared shoppers. This includes anyone who takes sole responsibility, or shares responsibility, for purchasing groceries for their household.

Data sources
Consumer survey data
For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore consumer attitudes and behaviors toward food packaging. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in March 2014 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet.

Mintel selects survey respondents by gender, age, household income, and region so that they are proportionally representative of the US adult population using the internet. Mintel also slightly over-samples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or Black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in our survey results and to allow for more precise parameter estimates from our reported findings. Please note that Mintel surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in the survey results.

Mintel has also analyzed data from Experian Marketing Services, using the Simmons NCS (National Consumer Study) and the Simmons NHCS (National Hispanic Consumer Study).

The Experian Marketing Services, Simmons NCS/NHCS was carried out during January 2013-March 2014 and the results are based on the sample of 24,005 adults aged 18+, with results weighted to represent the US adult population. 

While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (White, Black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.

Abbreviations and terms
Abbreviations
The following is a list of abbreviations used in this report. 

BPA | Bisphenol A
CPI | Consumer Price Index
EPA | Environmental Protection Agency
GNPD | Global New Products Database
MULO | Multi Outlet, representative of the following channels: total US Grocery, Mass, total US Drug, total Walmart, Dollar, Military, and Club
NCS/NHCS | National Consumer Study/National Hispanic Consumer Study (Experian Marketing Services)
rsp | Retail selling price

Generations are discussed within this report, and they are defined as:

World War II/Swing generations | Members of the WWII generation were born in 1932 or before and are aged 82 or older in 2014. Members of the Swing Generation were born from 1933-1945 and are aged 69-81 in 2014.
Baby Boomers | The generation born between 1946 and 1964. In 2014, Baby Boomers are between the ages of 50 and 68.
Generation X | The generation born between 1965 and 1976. In 2014, Gen Xers are between the ages of 38 and 49.
Millennials * | Born between 1977 and 1994, Millennials are aged 20-37 in 2014.
iGeneration | Born between 1995 and 2007, members of iGen are aged 7-19 in 2014.
Emerging generation | The newest generation began in 2008 as the annual number of births declined sharply with the recession. In 2014 members of this as-yet-unnamed generation are younger than 7.

* also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers

In order to provide an inflation-adjusted price value for markets, Mintel uses the CPI to deflate current prices. The CPI is defined as follows:

CPI

The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services.

The CPI and its components are typically used to adjust other economic series for price changes and to translate these series into inflation-free dollars. Examples of series adjusted by the CPI include retail sales, hourly and weekly earnings, and components of the national income and product accounts. In addition, and in Mintel reports, the CPI is used as a deflator of the value of the consumer’s dollar to find its purchasing power. The purchasing power of the consumer’s dollar measures the change in the value to the consumer of goods and services that a dollar will buy at different dates. 

The CPI is generally the best measure for adjusting payments to consumers when the intent is to allow consumers to purchase, at today’s prices, a market basket of goods and services equivalent to one that they could purchase in an earlier period. It is also the best measure to use to translate retail sales into real or inflation-free dollars.

Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics definition.

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