Launched today the “Friends of Glass” Facebook campaign reminds consumers that health and nature are not only in the product but also in the packaging.
The “Little Taste Testers” Friends of Glass campaign has been launched today by FEVE – the EU container glass association - to promote the key role glass packaging has in fully preserving and protecting the original taste and nutritional qualities of food and drinks. Made of materials abundant in nature through a sustainably sound business model, and classified by European legislation as one of the most chemically and biologically inert materials (1), glass packaging protects products for longer. They can last without the need for refrigeration or, when opened, be perfectly resealed and preserved in the fridge instead of throwing them out. Glass packaging is good for the consumers’ purse, and saves precious natural resources as well as unnecessary food waste.
In this latest Friends of Glass campaign, the container glass industry talks to consumers about the fact that taste and health is not only a matter of ingredients. “Since Friends of Glass started in 2009, we have been positively surprised by the number of European consumers who care about their health and quality of life when buying food and drinks and they are eager to choose glass packaging” - explains Stefan Jaenecke, President of FEVE - “Social media are one of the most direct ways to create an environment where consumers can freely voice their opinion. Three quarters of European consumers clearly recommend glass as their preferred packaging: more than 40,000 out of them have joined the Friends of Glass on line community”.
Consumers prefer glass packaging mainly because of health, taste preservation, and for environmental reasons. More than half of European consumers use glass packaging most often for baby food, condiments and sauces while for other products like water, juices, yoghurts and milk they would prefer to choose glass packaging more often (2).
The “Little Taste Testers” campaign launched today is a Facebook game inviting consumers to have fun in guessing the foods and drinks children describe through their blind tasting. As products are packed in glass, they keep their flavour and quality untainted, and truly taste as they were originally intended. The game will be launched on Facebook in several European countries. A number of events and actions have been built around the campaign. In Italy, Spain and United Kingdom, live blind tastings are being organized during national food and drink events, while in other countries like Austria, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Greece, Slovakia and Switzerland the campaign messages will be brought to consumers through a variety of media channels, and particularly the social media.
For more information, visit the website www.friendsofglass.com , and/or contact any of the national contact points below.
ENDS
(1) Glass is exempt from the EU REACH legislation
(2) Consumer survey carried out by the Research Institute InSites in 2010. See top line results published in May 2011.
National Contact Points
Czech Republic
Elena Krislova - Tel: +421 32 6557 207; E-mail: elena.krislova@vetropack.sk
France
Françoise Gandon - Tel +33 1 426 596 54 E-mail: francoise.gandon@fedeverre.fr
Germany
Dorothée Richardt - Tel +49 211 4796 331; E-mail : richardt@bvglas.de
Greece
Costas Kataras - Tel + 30 210 5403482; E-mail : ckataras@yioula.gr
Italy
Laura Fagotti - Tel: +39 (06) 487 11 30; E-mail: laura.fagotti@assovetro.it
Slovakia
Elena Krislova - Tel: +421 32 6557 207; E-mail: elena.krislova@vetropack.sk
Spain
Karen Davies - Tel +34 91 561 01 75; E-mail : karen.davies@anfevi.com
United Kingdom
Rebecca Cocking – Tel +44 114 290 1805; E-mail: r.cocking@britglass.co.uk
About Friends of Glass
“Friends of Glass” is a consumer forum that champions the right for consumers to be able to choose food and drink products in glass packaging. This forum was established in response to a pan-European consumer survey commissioned by FEVE in 2008 and renewed in 2010 which found that 74% of Europeans prefer glass packaging for food and drink products. “Friends of Glass” unites all those who believe glass is the clear choice for themselves, their families and for the environment. See more on www.friendsofglass.com
About FEVE
FEVE is the association of European manufacturers of glass containers and machine-made glass tableware. The members of FEVE produce over 20 million tonnes of glass per year. The association has some 60 corporate members belonging to approximately 20 independent corporate groups. Manufacturing plants are located across 23 European States and include global blue chip and major companies working for the world’s biggest consumer brands. See more on www.feve.org
About the European Container Glass Industry
The industry provides a wide range of glass packaging products for food and beverages as well flacons for perfumery, cosmetics and pharmacy to their European and world-wide customers. With its 160 manufacturing plants distributed all over Europe, it is an important contributor to Europe’s real economy and provides direct employment to about 50,000 people, while creating a large number of job opportunities along the total supply chain. See more on www.feve.org
About Glass
As packaging, glass containers assure the preservation, safe delivery and attractive presentation of a vast array of consumer products, supplied to European and world markets. Whether used for drinks, food, cosmetics, perfumes or pharmaceuticals, glass plays a vital role in supporting European trade and commerce. Glass is 100 percent recyclable, one layer, chemically inert and preserves the original taste and qualities of the products it contains. Food and drink products need the protection of its container to preserve its purity and its vitamins. Because health is not only in the ingredients but also in the packaging that preserves these ingredients.
For further information contact:
Michael Delle Selve, Communications and Operations Manager, FEVE
E-mail: m.delleselve@feve.org , Direct Line: +32 (0)2 536 00 82, Mobile +32 475 52 24 58