5 Trends in Packaging that CPG Brands are adopting
The packaging industry has witnessed spurs of innovation in the last decade. The reasons can be attributed to the e-commerce boom, increasing concerns about sustainability, and digitization engulfing all operations. Whatever the reasons, the outcome has been in front of us all - consumer products are packaged in a more substantial, smarter, and sustainable way.
Packaging design has always been an essential element for any CPG brand, and with so many innovations coming about, CPG brands are quickly adapting to the new trends - and rightly so. Let’s look at five such trends in packaging that have highly influenced CPG brands!
Promoting sustainability using packaging
Customers around the globe are now increasingly concerned about the environmental impacts of the products they use and the brands they engage with. CPG brands are therefore adopting eco-friendly packaging practices by using reusable or recyclable materials to begin with.
Packaging designers are finding novel ways of using recyclable materials to create packaging that attracts the eye and doesn’t hurt the environment. In addition, CPG brands are also marketing these eco-friendly efforts to make their customers aware of the steps being taken to maintain sustainability.
To communicate the sustainability measures on the packaging, QR codes are being used to convey the information easily. These codes also act as the perfect means to educate consumers about recycling the material once they’ve used it. An example of this is Unilever - one of the CPG leaders - who promoted sustainability through the launch of their Cif ecorefill. This product was designed to allow consumers to reuse spray bottles using an ecorefill. Scanning the QR code on the label gave the customers all information on recycling the packaging and reusing the bottle!
Establishing supply chain transparency
As customers prefer sustainability, they are also waking up to understand the product’s entire journey - from where it was manufactured to the supply chain to the point of sale. This has given brands an incentive to work on improving their supply chain management - which is a big plus. It has also stirred the trend of communicating a product’s entire journey to the customer in a subtle way - using product packaging.
Such an approach to establishing supply chain transparency has ensured that the customers are at ease and are making informed decisions. As an example of this, Princes, one of the leading UK-based food and drinks brands, utilized QR codes to redirect users to a page that includes the product's entire journey. Designers have also looked at different communication approaches, including creating a subtle timeline on the packaging itself, using storytelling, and more.
Such an approach improves the transparency manifolds and gives customers control over their knowledge of the product. With everything about the product journey available, customers can inquire about whatever they want to and resolve their queries. Another example is INI Farms, India’s Ag-Tech fruit company, which launched FruitRoute. This program enabled traceability for all its fruits in the international and domestic markets, thereby providing the same effect.
Collecting much-needed consumer feedback
Feedbacks have always been crucial for all successful businesses, especially for consumer-facing brands. In today’s world, when customers have more choices than ever and many channels to voice their opinions, collecting feedback has become even more critical. All of that has made CPG brands take active steps to improve their packaging to create a buffer to understand their customers better.
While CPG brands were always looking to collect feedback, the need of the hour is to look for non-intrusive, safe ways to collect customer feedback. Using QR Codes and NFC stickers on their product packaging, CPG brands have achieved this differentiator.
Smart packaging has also arrived due to this, wherein NFC stickers or QR codes are utilized to capture customer satisfaction and sentimental changes post-product use. A workflow is set up automatically once a user scans the QR or NFC tag. That way, customers are nudged automatically to voice their opinion once they've used the product. This is then collected and used by the company.
Solidifying expertise and authenticity
The value of trade of counterfeit goods globally is likely to reach $992 billion by this year’s end. There’s no surprise that fakes and frauds are a big concern for both companies and customers. Therefore, customers are always looking for concrete information to test the authenticity of the product before purchasing it.
CPG brands are taking this seriously, for the right reasons, and are making essential product information available on the product packaging itself. Additional information, if needed, can be provided along with packaging either physically or using QR codes. Just scanning the codes could give users all the information they need to ensure the authenticity of their purchase. This way, companies can also curb the rising sales of counterfeits.
An example of this comes from one of the biggest luxury retail brands - Ralph Lauren. They had QR codes sewed into the Polo garments so that shoppers could quickly scan and verify the authenticity and get all the details they required. This also gives room to share more information and build a stronger relationship.
Making it personal - telling the brand story
In the age of personalization, it’s no surprise that getting to know the brand is a big win for customers. They always love a true story, especially truly visually engaging ones. It has been scientifically studied that people tend to recall more of what they have visually consumed in pictures and graphs than what they have textually learned.
This has allowed CPG brands to use the packaging canvas as a canvas to be as artistic as they can and spell out their stories to build deeper connections with their audience. Using visual tools such as graphics, storylines, timelines, and such catches the customer's attention and drives them to return to the brand’s products.
An example of this comes from botanical Gin - an alcohol brand. They used the story of a botanist named Fossman to inspire their packaging design. The logo features an illustration that shares how the botanist went missing while searching for new species. The design is minimal but conveys the story succinctly. Likewise, many CPG brands use this space to convey such intricate and intimate stories to their audiences and build solid connections.
In Conclusion
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