With Food Prices Rising, More Consumers Turn to Canning and Food Storage

Sales of Ball(R) Jars Increase; Consumers Say They Plan to Preserve More

DALEVILLE, Ind., June 19 /PRNewswire/ -- As the cost of feeding a family
continues to rise, consumers are finding new ways to save. Some are growing
their own produce, others are buying in bulk at discount stores, and many are
canning and storing their food. A recent survey of 1,800 visitors to
http://www.freshpreserving.com found that more than 70% of respondents intend
to preserve more foods this year in an effort to save money on weekly
groceries.
(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080619/NETH027 )
"It's no coincidence that we've experienced an increase in sales of
Ball(R) jars and preserving products this year," commented Chris Scherzinger,
Vice President of Marketing for Jarden Home Brands. "Typically in a down
economy, with no end to rising food costs in sight, consumers will find
entrepreneurial ways to save, such as fresh preserving and safely storing bulk
items."
According to the United States Department of Agriculture, food prices for
basics such as cereals and grains and fresh fruits and vegetables has averaged
a 5% increase from 2007
(http://www.ers.usda.gov/briefing/cpifoodandexpenditures/consumerpriceindex.ht
m) (Due to length of URL, please copy and paste into browser). The United
States Department of Labor has determined that food prices have increased each
month thus far in 2008 (http://www.bls.gov/news.release/cpi.nr0.htm).
Lauren Devine, editor of the Ball Blue Book, added, "Properly preserving
or freezing food can prolong its shelf-life and save hundreds of dollars a
year. With the summer produce season upon us, now is a great time to preserve
seasonal fruits and vegetables to enjoy year-round."
Consumers are taking note, as retail sales of Ball(R) food preserving
products used for canning have increased 28% year-to-date since 2007,
according to syndicated market data from IRI. Similarly, large Ball(R) jars,
often used for food storage of rice, flour and sugar, have jumped nearly 40%
in the past year. Sales of Ball(R) plastic freezing containers have doubled
over the last year as people also turn to their freezers for easy
heat-and-serve foods and to store leftovers.
For canning tips, recipes, products and consumer message boards, visit
http://www.freshpreserving.com. Recipes and how-to canning tips can also be
retrieved by calling 1-800-240-3340.
Jarden Home Brands d/b/a Hearthmark LLC * Daleville, IN 47334
A Subsidiary of Jarden Corporation (NYSE: JAH)
SOURCE Jarden Home Brands

Courtney Curzi, +1-617-585-5784, ccurzi@360publicrelations.com, for Jarden
Home Brands