Research carried out by German research company GfK* and concurred by Nampak Bevcan research conducted earlier in 2013, has shown conclusively that the overall perception consumers have of drinks cans has improved dramatically since 2007, according to a statement released in August by South African based beverage can recovery company, Collect-a-can.

According to the statement, cans of soft drinks are seen as offering good value for money and product freshness – two important attributes for quality- and price-conscious consumers.

“Cans are becoming fashionable,” says Alex Bouwer, Marketing Manager for Nampak Bevcan’s CAN DO! brand. “The change can be attributed to the image created by the CAN DO! Scene, an initiative educating consumers on the benefits of beverage cans and encouraging people to choose their beverages in cans.”
Another reason cans are more popular now than they were six years ago is the fact that they are recyclable, something which is becoming increasingly more important to consumers as they become more environmentally-conscious.

“Consumers are starting to recognise the importance of recycling, specifically beverage cans,” says Zimasa Velaphi, Public Relations and Marketing Manager of Collect-a-Can.  “The Collect-a-Can initiative has also done much by way of educating South African consumers on the value of cans, the benefits of recycling has on the environment, and how the use of cans makes economic sense, when compared with other recyclable materials.

“This year Collect-a-Can celebrates 20 years, and our aim for the next 20 years is to reach 100% recovery,” Velaphi continues.  “We believe we can achieve this by continuing to reward can collectors, and by continuing to highlight the benefits of cans to consumers.”

In celebration of 20 years of Collect-a-Can, Velaphi shares 20 reasons to use cans.
1.     Cans chill much faster than any other form of packaging;

2.     Cans retain ideal levels of carbonation, ensuring the integrity of each beverage;

3.     Less “head space” in cans means less room for oxygen, which affects the taste and freshness of the product;

4.     The can is a highly efficient and economic package to produce, fill and distribute;

5.     Cans are perfectly stackable, taking up less space than other types of packaging;

6.     Cans are unbreakable, protecting the product perfectly;

7.     They are lightweight and easier to transport;

8.     Because more cans are able to be transported at one time, less fuel is used in transportation;

9.     Cans do not require a special opener and the tab stays on the can,

10.  A discarded can is far less likely to cause injury than other recyclable beverage packaging;

11.  Branding is printed directly onto the can; there is no need for labels which could peel or tear in damp conditions;

12.  Cans have become “trendy” in recent years, with more and more micro-breweries choosing to can their beer!

13.  The can is resistant to light – exposure to light can affect other types of packaging and damage the contents;

14.  Cans are able to preserve food products that otherwise would quickly go bad;

15.  In a year, one beverage can, could be recycled eight times, saving enough energy to make 160 new cans;

16.  In fact, cans are endlessly recyclable. They can be recycled forever without loss of strength or quality;

17.  Schools are paid cash for all their empty cans collected, which contributes to their funding;

18.  Collect-a-Can’s CAN Craze competition gives schools a further opportunity to win amazing prizes for individual pupils and the school, by building creative structures out of 300 cans or more;

19.  Collect-a-Can pays over R20 million a year to informal can collectors; by using cans you are contributing to the upliftment of this informal sector;

20.  Cans are becoming a part of our African heritage through the many artists now using cans as part of their works of art.

* www.canmakers.co.uk/…/wp…/GfK-Consumer-Research-FINAL.pdf‎