Food safety is one of the biggest concerns for European consumers, with many people finding the matter more worrying than environmental problems, public safety or terrorism. Among the top concerns within the sector, Europeans find packaging to be of particular importance, a new poll carried out on behalf of the European Friends of Glass community reveals.
Two-thirds of the 8,000 people interviewed admit they are concerned about food contamination and the possibility of chemicals from packaging coming in contact with food products. As many as 80 percent of those polled worry that chemicals leaching into the content might pose a threat to human health. Of all packaging materials included in the survey, consumers appear to be most concerned about possible interaction of food products with plastics.
On the other hand, consumers are increasingly aware of the benefits of glass as a packaging material, which is boosting demand for food and drinks packed in glass. More than 60 percent of consumers believe that glass in the best packaging material as far as health is concerned, compared to 48 percent who shared the same opinion in 2010. This figure reaches more than three-quarters when it comes to storing baby food, with 61 percent avoiding purchasing baby food in any other package than glass, the survey found.
According to Friends of Glass, glass is an impermeable barrier that cannot compromise the quality of the product packed in it. That is why consumers continue to trust glass more than any other packaging material, the community said in a statement.
