Food in tubes: A “retro cool” Swedish innovation -- Industrial History and Consumers’ Perspectives

Abstract: “Tube food” is a fascinating facet of Swedish food culture. From an international perspective, it is interesting how a packaging type that is not very common in other parts of the world can encompass a wide range of food products in Sweden. Since tube food consumption in Sweden is not a well-defined phenomenon, an exploratory research was done to address the concern that this knowledge gap exists. The historical background of tube food in Sweden was first investigated, and then the current situation was studied by identifying the different tube food types that are being consumed, and then by discovering the values and meanings that consumers associate with these products.