Lifting the lid on squidge n' squirt Squeezable, touchy-feely packaging is the latest move to encourage more young consumers to try preserves and extend them into other eating occasions, particularly lunchboxes. In May both Centura Foods and Chivers Hartley entered the convenience arena with premium products in packs which appealed to kids' sense of fun and kept parents of young children happy by reducing the need for knives. With safety and hygiene the watchwords here, Centura Foods' Robertson's brand comes in a 340g clear polypropylene bottle with a fliptop lid. The range includes strawberry and raspberry seedless jam, and Golden Shred marmalade retailing at 99p. Rival Chivers' responded to the demand for a smooth product without bits and rolled out Hartley's That's Fruity ­ a smooth extra fruit jam in a 340g foil pouch which also sells for 99p. Four flavours are available: strawberry, apricot, raspberry and blackcurrant. The jam goes into full distribution in February with listings in Tesco and Somerfield. Brand marketing controller Yvonne Adam says: "It's a mixture of better for you and convenience. We are trying to bring younger people in to allow them to use the product themselves, as well as making parents feel good about what they are feeding their kids. "These products avoid any mess and jars that are difficult to open." And further research has been undertaken to plan ahead, says Adam. "This will determine what comes next in product and packaging. We will be looking at the relevance of the packs and looking at wastage. "We don't want to alienate anyone from Hartley's jam." {{FOCUS SPECIALS }}