Results from Dragon Rouge's Beverage Package Survey revealed that consumers in the US & Europe prefer glass bottles for spirits & beer, plastic bottles for (still) water, & are evenly divided between aluminum cans, plastic bottles & glass bottles for soda, Despite attempts to market spirits/beer in plastic bottles, it is yet to catch on. Even with advantages of being shatterproof & lightweight, plastic cannot overcome negative perceptions of taste & not staying cold. Highlights from the survey are: US 98% prefer glass for liquor;96% prefer glass for beer; 89% prefer plastic for water; 42% prefer plastic for soda, 36% prefer aluminum & 22% prefer glass. While 46% of respondents said they have consumed beer in a plastic bottle, 86% said that consuming it in plastic is less desirable than glass. Of these respondents, a full 40% believe that beer tastes better in glass bottles, while 37% perceive that it isn't as cold. Of those who said that plastic was better (10%), the main reasons cited were its shatterproof & lightweight qualities. According to Jonathan Asher, President, Dragon Rouge, USA, "Despite attempts to market spirits & beer in plastic bottles, it is yet to catch on. Even with advantages of being shatterproof & lightweight, plastic cannot overcome negative perceptions of taste & not staying cold." In Europe, recycling concerns were also cited. There was little difference noted by age or sex & the results were largely consistent between Americans & Europeans with few exceptions. Soda is consumed in plastic bottles more in the U.S. & glass more in Europe, while about equally in aluminum. And, while they are not keen to consume beer in plastic bottles in either locale, nearly half of the U.S. respondents have done so, while only about one in ten Europeans have.
