In a study of beverage uses and habits in Mexico, 5 out of every 8 consumers consider glass to be the best packaging in existence, pointing out reasons such as hygiene, visibility of the content and preservation of a product´s flavor. Furthermore, the same consumers recognize that glass is the ideal material for quality products and it is not a material used for cheap products.

In another study carried out independent of the previously mentioned study, an Identification of Product Test (IPT) carried out on a dairy product gave results which are largely in favor of glass. The IPT methodology is the following: a product sample is left with a housewife for a pre-determined period of time and the container is returned at the end of this period. When the first sample is picked up, a second sample is left for use during the same period of time. The container from the second sample is returned and a complete evaluation of both products is carried out and specific attributes are also evaluated. The test product is identified since it states the original product´s brand and it is usually carried out between products competing on the market.

Some special aspects of this test were that the two products had the same brand (one of the products was found in the plastic container in which it is presently sold while the other was in a glass container). The key point is that the two containers contained the exact same dairy product and the consumer was not informed of this.

As was commented previously, the result was significantly favorable for the product bottled in glass since this was preferred over the plastic container by a difference of 20 percentage points! This tendency was also shown for almost all specific attributes, including the following important ones:

• It has the best flavor (difference of 11 percentage points).
• It keeps the product fresher (difference of 48 percentage points).
• It is more hygienic (difference of 55 percentage points).
• It b etter motivates the purchase (difference of 34 percentage points).
• It has better quality (difference of 42 percentage points).

Remember that the same product under the same brand was bottled and that all of these differences are values added solely by the glass container. For that reason we affirm that glass increases a product´s equity.

Similarly and exactly as studies by the Glass Packaging Institute reveal, American consumers´ feelings towards glass reflect connotations similar to those expressed above. It has even been perceived that companies pack their premium products in glass containers because they appreciate the content, leaving other packages for products that are not first-class or top-of-the-line. For that reason, the image of a product bottled in glass is better because it is perceived to be a select product.

An example is that Anheuser-Busch announced that it would end the market test of its beer bottled in plastic since consumers in Dallas and Phoenix showed little interest in purchasing Budweiser and Bud Light in 16 ounce PET bottles. Another PET bottle, for the Miller Brewing Co., was protested against by defenders of the environment because the labels and caps are against regulations issued by the Association of Organizations for Recycling Plastic Disposed by Consumers.

Market studies carried out by Demptos Glass on the market for American table wine have shown that if two wines have similar characteristics as far as type and quality are concerned, 40% of consumers base their decision on the container. If the bottle of wine is to be used as a present, this percentage increases to up to 67%. Moreover, they discovered that close to 90% of consumers are able to give amazingly detailed descriptions of the bottle they usually buy. If we add on the fact that almost 72% of purchases in this category are made on impulse, the impression on the shelf can be decisive in causng a consumer to put the bottle in his shopping cart or for this bottle to continue collecting dust on exhibit stands.

Demptos Glass has also observed that the container improves the equity of wines since there are certain perceptions concerning color, weight and bottle shape, such as:

• Dark bottles with heavy weight reflect quality.
• Light colored, light weight bottles with thin walls and completely flat bottoms do not protect contents.
• Consumers have the idea that bottles with straight, symmetrical shapes and high shoulders are the most adequate for wine.

Colors and shapes are also associated with different varieties of table wine, shown in the graph.