Keep a handle on it – The message for the Milk Bottle - 17 September 2008

From research with consumers who have visual impairment and
manual dexterity problems commonly associated with the older population

Pensioners now outnumber children for the first time(1), according to the latest Government statistics and over the next 20 years, the percentage of the pension-age population is expected to increase further, with the over 65s projected to rise by 49% and for the over 75’s, a rise of 63% is predicted(2). Given that a third of buyers of milk in one and two pint plastic bottles are retired, Nampak Plastics, one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of plastic milk bottles, recognises the importance this sector has on the milk industry.

The company was therefore keen to understand how removing the handle from a milk bottle could be received, particularly as the older population are more prone to manual dexterity impairment (it is estimated that 9 million people in the UK suffer from arthritis(3)) and visual impairment (about one in four of people aged 65 and over have difficulties with their eyesight(4)).

In response, qualitative research has been carried out with a group of milk consumers with manual dexterity or visual impairments. The research was commissioned by Nampak in association with the Help the Aged business network, engage, and carried out by Ricability - a specialist consumer research and information charity that works predominantly with older and disabled consumers. The research clearly showed a strong user preference for the existing plastic milk bottle design with a handle.

Using existing plastic milk bottles and prototype designs (without a handle) for a two-week home trial, the research participants overwhelmingly agreed that the existing handled bottles were easier to use compared to the handleless prototypes. Of the ten users, nine preferred the existing bottle designs because their handle made them easier to locate, identify, lift, carry and pour from. Gripping was easier and felt more secure, regardless of the weight of the trialled bottles.

James Crick, Business Development Director at Nampak comments on the research: “With the packaging industry striving to improve the environmental credentials of packaging, there is a danger that the directions some packaging designs are taking could in fact render them unfit for purpose for important consumer users. The focus to date has been too heavily geared towards reducing the weight of packaging. However, as this research has clearly demonstrated, the small weight reductions gained by removing the handle would clearly alienate not just an important sector of the market, but a growing sector of the market given the population’s longer life expectancy.

“We also found from the user trials that with the larger two pint bottle, there was increased resistance for a bottle without a handle. This is significant given that the retired age bracket accounts for 32% of the volume of two pint bottles purchased in the UK compared to say families with children under 10 who account for 16% of the volume of two pint bottles purchased(5).”

The Help the Aged engage business network commissioned the research in association with Nampak and David Sinclair, Head of Policy at Help the Aged comments: “By 2031, we estimate 22% of the population will be aged over 65, indicating that the older population form a significant proportion of the consumer market whose requirements should not be ignored. What this user trial has shown is for those users with manual dexterity and visual impairments which can affect many older people, any change to the handled plastic milk bottle would be detrimental both from a useability point of view and more importantly, from an independence stance.

“The effect that a change in packaging types could have on older people and disabled people clearly needs further substantial research. However, as an interim piece of research, we welcome the findings and the fact that companies like Nampak and others are taking our older population into account with product design.”

One of the trial participants, Terence Short (64) echoes the research findings. He has MS (Multiple Sclerosis) which leads to weakness in his grip and problems lifting heavy items. He comments: “Personally I found the bottles without a handle useless, and did not feel confident pouring from them especially the larger handle-less bottle. The handle on the existing plastic milk bottle is integral to my independence and without it, I would need to rely on my wife to decant the milk into a container with a handle.”

A quarter of the total milk volume purchased in the UK is by those in the retired category according to the latest 2008 data from a TNS Worldpanel survey carried out for Nampak Plastics. This represents the largest market for milk and by implication any changes to the traditional plastic milk bottle design could have a significant impact on these consumers.

James Crick continues: “One of the most interesting aspects of the research for us as a milk bottle manufacturer was the independence which the handle on a plastic milk bottle provides to the participants. Not having to rely on a family member or carer to help make their daily cuppas is of significant importance to these users.

“Working with the Help the Aged engage network and Ricability on this research has been enlightening and we will certainly be using the findings in talks with our customers. We urge any company involved in product development to ensure they do not forget the needs of the older population and disabled people.”


1 Office of National Statistics: Mid-year population estimates (published 21 August 2008)
2 Government Actuary Department 2006-based national population projections
3 Arthritis UK estimate
4 Health Survey for England (Older People) 2005
5 According to 2006 Worldpanel TNS data