Glass packaging could return to milk & fruit juices if brand owners respond to EU consumer demand for the material. Dominique Tombeur, president of FEVE said the result of a survey of 6200 consumers in 12 EU countries published 20 April made milk & juices a key opportunity for the sector. 40% of those surveyed said they would prefer to buy milk in glass, for example, but only 5% said they were able to do so. 45% would prefer glass for fruit juice compared to 14% who used it. "Consumer awareness of environmental & health issues point to us being able to regain a share of the marketplace," said Tombeur. FEVE revealed that the survey showed 74% of EU consumers preferred glass to other packaging formats. Dennis Claus, senior consultant at Insites, said that glass was perceived as a material that maintained product taste & was particularly suitable for special occasions. As such, the survey underlined the dominance of glass in alcoholic drinks.
