American consumers trust glass containers for health and environment reasons. That’s the conclusion of a new survey of 1,000 U.S. consumers conducted in April 2010 by Opinion Research for the Glass Packaging Institute.
When the research firm asked consumers which container has the least negative impact on their health, 60% said glass bottles or jars, easily outpacing containers at 18%, plastic bottles at 9%, and aluminum or metal cans at 7%. Another 4% were uncertain and 2% said multi-layer or plastic pouches.
In addition, 81% of the respondents to the survey say they have seen, read, or heard that certain containers leach or seep chemicals into foods and beverages, and that they believe glass bottles and jars are less likely to contaminate a product.
The research comes on the heels of a different recent study favoring glass in packaging. This study found that glass is the best material for keeping wine fresh and its taste intact over time. However, additional recent research points to a conflict over the packaging material that is the most sustainable.