Tackling the climate crisis requires bold action. Whether that’s from suppliers and retailers, governments and policymakers, or indeed consumers, simply tinkering around the edges or seeking to maintain the status quo won’t be sufficient to protect our planet.
One example of this is packaging. As an industry, we are moving to recyclable or reusable packaging, reducing our use of virgin plastic and investing in recycling infrastructure development and new reuse or refill systems – all of which pose technical challenges.
But there are plenty of challenges that go beyond the technical sphere. The most successful food and drink brands are those that go beyond function to establish an emotional relevance for consumers, becoming an integral part of everyday life and sitting at the heart of special occasions.
The emotional connection consumers have with food and drink brands is particularly strong at this time of year. A recent survey showed that despite the recent rise of own-label products in the wake of the cost of living crisis, 56% of people still intend to buy their favourite food and drink brands over the festive period. Respondents to the survey told us that this is because these brands are a family tradition (59%), are a sign of quality (58%) and stir up feelings of nostalgia (52%).
It’s clear, therefore, that changing how these products are made or packaged, and ultimately how they look, feel or taste, risks undermining the trust and affection consumers have for them.
One of our most iconic brands is Quality Street. Key to its enduring appeal are the jewel-like Quality Street wrappers, which have been intrinsic to the brand since it was established in 1936. Yet, to achieve our packaging commitments and minimise our impact on the planet, we knew our twist wraps needed to change, from dual foil and cellulose to a recyclable paper alternative – a move that will prevent more than two billion pieces of packaging material ending up as landfill or waste to energy each year.
As you’d expect, we undertook multiple rounds of consumer research to ensure the new wrappers met consumer expectations. This research told us that although consumers passionately wanted to be able to recycle their confectionery wrappers, attachment to the old packaging was extremely strong, especially among brand loyalists.
Indeed, when consumers were asked how well the sweets fitted the overall Quality Street brand, there was a 6% drop between the old wrappers and the new. This was significant, but we knew we had to go ahead.
Crucially, new research has shown us that 83% of Brits think it’s important brands with heritage make changes to keep up with the times. That’s why we believe that, ultimately, consumers will love our new packaging even more than what came before. This should give other well-established brands the confidence to take bold action too, and contribute do the right thing for our planet now, before it’s too late.
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