Containers...
become a considerable factor and it
is continually growing thanks to new
products and ideas. However, such an
encouraging trend has not yet been
able to manifest itself in Europe, the
other large market for the aluminum
aerosol can.
Overall, Spengler’s assessment
of the prospects for the aluminum
aerosol can in 2018 is positive. Capacity
utilization is at a high level at
companies worldwide and the global
economy is proving to be resilient.
New ideas and projects that have been
developed and tackled jointly by can
manufacturers and their clients are
providing grounds for optimism for a
further increase in volumes in 2018.
However, marked increases in the
price of aluminum and higher costs
16 Spray August 2018
for lacquers,
printing inks
and transportation
services are
posing major
challenges for
the industry.
In addition,
the changeover
to alternative
lacquer systems triggered by ongoing
discussions about Bisphenol A (BPA)
and N-Methyl-2-pyrrolidone (NMP) is
proving to be more complex and timeconsuming
than expected.
Nevertheless, Spengler remains
confident. “I know how capable and
innovative our companies are,” he
explained.
“That’s why I’m convinced they will
tackle these challenges effectively by
adopting the greatest possible flexibility,
rigorous cost control, use of even
more efficient processes and technical
advancements. To achieve the desired
further down gauging of aluminum
aerosol cans, additional investments
in research and development—as well
as the use of new alloys and other
forward-looking technologies—are taking
place.
These measures will result in stateof
the-art packaging solutions that
satisfy the needs and requirements of
the market. They will further improve
the already exemplary sustainability
and high resource efficiency of the
aluminum aerosol can and boost its
chances in the highly competitive
global packaging market.”
Spengler
PLASTIC
Study reveals consumer perceptions
Murdoch Crawford
Crawford, Category Director, Aerosol & Dispensing
Devices, Plastipak
I t has now been a few years since polyethylene
terephthalate (PET) plastic
aerosol containers entered the market. As
a technically challenging product, much
has been discussed about the technical
characteristics and capabilities of the PET
plastic aerosol. Questions about its ability
to withstand the high internal pressures
required, performance during the hot air
tests and compatibility of propellants have
all been debated.
However, until now, the reaction of
the consumer towards the PET plastic
container has not been explored. With
much time and investment going in to
ensuring the safety and performance of
plastic aerosol containers, it was time to
investigate if the consumer would accept
the change in substrate.
In order to conduct a meaningful test,
an independent research agency was commissioned.
Based in the UK, the agency
specializes in sensory and consumer
research with a focus on product testing
and acceptance.
The main objective of the test was to assess
consumer preferences of two aerosol
products: a PET plastic aerosol and a
metal (aluminum) aerosol. Both containers
were filled with water, pressurized and
topped with a simple button actuator.
Neither aerosol container was decorated
so consumers would not make any judgment
based on graphic design.
These images show how visi-strips or transparent
windows can be incorporated in to the packaging
design to allow consumers to see product or assess
the remaining content.
The panel consisted of 103 consumers
who use aerosol products regularly.
There was a general split of age, gender
and socio-demographic profiles.
Respondents were presented with the
two aerosol products simultaneously and
asked to score each one for a number of
key parameters on an 11-point hedonic
scale. They were also asked to score the
products for feel on a five-point diagnostic
scale for certain parameters to achieve
a greater understanding. They were then
asked which of the two products they
preferred.
Finally, respondents were shown images
of differently-shaped aerosols and
asked how the appearance might affect
their propensity to purchase. They were
also asked to comment on specific likes
and dislikes.
Results
Hedonic Attributes
The panelists were asked to rate both the
plastic and aluminum aerosols each in
terms of how it looks, how it feels and
give an overall rating. The rating scale
was 0–10, with 0 representing “dislike
extremely,” and 10 representing “like
extremely.” The results show that both
containers were liked, however, in all
three ratings, plastic aerosols scored
higher.
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