Packaging and package design are key visual elements that can assist in encouraging retail sales. If products fail to catch shoppers’ attention and give them positive feelings, it is unlikely a product on the shelf will convert to sales. Packaging styles change over time—what consumers found attractive ten years ago may seem dated to them now—so considering the following trends to update package design will help brands and manufacturers catch the attention of their target customers in store and sway them from shelf to sale. We are package testing experts and once your design is ready to test, contact us for a consultation.
1) “Green” Packaging
Environmentally-friendly packaging, often including text that encourages conservation or reuse, tells prospective customers that a brand cares about the environment and the future of the planet. “Green” packaging has been on trend for a while now, and isn’t likely to go anywhere soon as consumers are becoming more and more interested in shopping for brands who care about more than just making a sale. In fact, consumers who prefer to purchase goods from an an environmentally-friendly company are even willing to pay more for those products, as they see value in the positive social and environmental impact.
One example of earth-friendly packaging comes from HNINA, a brand that makes chocolates that are organic, raw, vegan, gluten-free, etc. (the full list of certifications is twelve items long). To reflect this ethos, the company uses biodegradable kraft-paper packaging manufactured with wind power.
Another brand, the all-natural cosmetics brand Stop the Water While Using Me! puts its message in its name, which takes up most of the bottle. The recyclable, refillable packaging emphasizes the company’s focus on eliminating waste.
2) Paper Packaging
Kraft paper is a big trend this year as mentioned above, but other specially manufactured types of paper are popping up all over, too.
Micarna, the leading meat producer in Switzerland, offers seven varieties of sliced meats in PaperLite packaging, a Forest Stewardship Council-certified material that has cut plastic use in the packaging by 60 percent.
Leica recently released a limited-edition camera that replaces its traditional leather band with a specially treated “Constellation Jade” paper skin. The book-style packaging emphasizes the paper notion.
3) Bold Personality Packaging
Products looking to stand out are using bold colors and unexpected composition to catch the eye of busy shoppers and may make them smile and find interest in something new and creative.
Sweet Delights CFL light bulbs are packaged to look like cupcakes, ice cream, and cakes. They even include dessert recipes inside the package!
Pinky’s Sausages are arranged like a hand with four sausage fingers and a thumb drawn on the label.
4) Old-Timey Authenticity
Just as young people are reclaiming lost arts like pickling and knitting, some products are signaling their authenticity with old-fashioned labels.
Thomas J. Fudge’s Remarkable Bakery has been around since 1916, and the packaging evokes the imagery of that era with biological sketches and period fonts.
Pole & Line tuna, a brand created by Whole Foods with American Tuna, uses tuna caught with a traditional, sustainable barbless-hook-and-pole method. The throwback packaging design reflects this low-tech method of harvesting tuna.
5) Hand-Drawn Packaging
Another way to signal authenticity, and also friendliness, is hand-drawn and -lettered packaging.
The Love in a Cup gift box uses hand-drawn romantic imagery and handwritten “loveheart” tags on each tea bag to create a box of tea that feels like a love letter.
Each flavor Burnt Sugar fudge comes in a differently colored box with a different style of lettering and doodles to signal individual personalities. Like the fudge pieces inside, “every one is different.”
Should you consider adopting one of these trends for your product? Contact us for a consultation.
Tags: Consumer BehaviorEye TrackingPackage DesignRetailShopper ResearchTrends