24 feb 2015mwv packaging matters finds strong link between packaging satisfaction and consumer purchase behaviorthird annual study cites functionality and safety as key consumer demands for packagingmeadwestvaco corporation today launched packaging matters the company&39s annual study of the impact of packaging on product satisfaction and consumer purchasing behavior. now in its third year, packaging matters examines the attitudes of consumers in five markets brazil, china, germany, france and the united states across 11 fmcg product categories food, beverage, personal care, etc., offering brand managers key insights on how to increase the impact of packaging for their business.packaging matters data show packaging continues to hold significant importance for global consumer satisfaction with a strong link to purchase intent and brand loyalty. while a majority say new packaging is headed in the right direction, there are significant current gaps between the importance of product packaging and how brands are meeting consumer needs. consumers are clear on how to close this gap with targeted innovations related to functionality and safety."this year&39s data quantified the link between the importance of packaging satisfaction and consumer purchasing behavior. satisfaction is up by six percent in the last year, and there is a sense of optimism for the future of the industry. more than threefourths of consumers say brands are on the right track," said pete durette, senior vice president, mwv. "that said, consumers want more from packaging, especially when it comes to function and safety. brands have a critical opportunity to build on this momentum with continued innovations that will make a real impact on satisfaction and behavior."packaging matters data show a strong correlation between packaging satisfaction and the consumer behaviors that brands want. consumers who are completely satisfied with packaging of products they recently purchased are more likely to purchase and use a product frequently 57 shop frequently instore and online 24 try something new because of the packaging 44packaging is still important to global consumer satisfactionsimilar to last year&39s study, packaging matters data show 31 of global consumers consider packaging very or extremely important to their overall satisfaction with consumer products.who packaging is most important to key targets of major brands frequent shoppers, online shoppers, urban shoppers with high spending power and brand loyal shoppers. thirtyseven percent of consumers have tried a product because packaging caught their eye or purchased a product again because of packaging functionality. researchers found a significant increase in importance in the united states 18 to 24 and a slight rise in china 38 to 39.where in geographic distribution, packaging is most important to consumers in developing markets china and brazil, where trust in the supply chain is not as strong as in developed markets france, germany and the united states.in what product categories across the 11 categories surveyed, packaging has the greatest impact on purchase decision for refrigeratedfrozen food, beautypersonal carefragrance, and takeout foodbeverage. more than 1 in 3 consumers say packaging is very or extremely impactful to their purchase intent in these categories.online v. instore shopping when it comes to retail channels, packaging is considered more important to instore purchases 57 than online purchases 43, but that gap is closer than some might think. china was the only country in which a majority of consumers 65 say packaging is more important for online purchases. those who say packaging is very or extremely important to their satisfaction are also more likely to increase the frequency they shop online in the future."we are pleased to see that consumers consider packaging important to their product satisfaction. with relatively low but meaningful importance numbers, we have a responsibility to leverage the data and figure out how brands can do even better," said tracy doherty, senior director, marketing and innovation, mwv. "the categories where consumers report packaging as having the biggest impact on their purchasing behavior also have the lowest levels of satisfaction. the question is how can we close that gap"consumers more satisfied with packaging innovation drives momentumpackaging matters data show 83 percent of global consumers are at least moderately satisfied with packaging, but just over 1 in 10 is completely satisfied, leaving an opportunity for brands. compared to last year, global satisfaction is up 6 with a 3 increase in the united states. satisfaction dipped 2 in china, where safety has been a major concern. when it comes to their future outlook for packaging, consumers are optimistic. more than 77 believe brands are headed in the right direction when it comes to new trends in packaging."packaging is one of the many tools available to a brand manager. our data confirms that it is also one of the most effective," says durette. "consumers who are completely satisfied with packaging are more likely to buy consumer products more often. to stay ahead of the curve in this rapidly evolving global cpg marketplace, brands have a real opportunity to impact purchase behavior by increasing consumer satisfaction with packaging."about packaging matterspackaging matters is mwv&39s annual study of consumer satisfaction with packaging. this year&39s research examined the impact of packaging on consumer product satisfaction and purchasing behavior across 11 product categories among 5,075 consumers in five global markets, including brazil, china, germany, france and the united states.the study data and analysis will be rolled out in several phases this year, including packaging satisfaction, innovation, safety and shopping experience. along with the study, mwv is launching a packaging matters portal insert link featuring dynamic content about why packaging matters to brand owners, retailers and consumers. to subscribe, visit www.mwv.compackagingmatters.media contacttucker mcneiltel 1 804.444.6397investor relationsjason thompsontel 1 804.444.2556 
