Innovative packaging is an effective tool that FMCG companies can use to provide that all-important competitive edge for their brands. visit Goods with an excellent shelf appeal are more likely to draw market interest and inspire customers to make the buying choice.
While food businesses continue to review consumer trends that affect buying behaviors, it is important that they also examine global packaging trends in order to develop successful strategies that will improve their product offerings while reducing costs. The performance or loss of a product line may be calculated by identifying the best correlation between market preferences and packaging range.
Although good packaging mainly helps a product hit the pantry shelf, it is the product itself which holds it there. Attractive advertising will draw and protect a product’s first-time purchase, however the consumer’s user experience can decide if they are purchasing the brand again. That is why today food marketers and packaging managers have to ensure alignment of products and packaging strategies. Creation of the goods and labeling can not be carried out in isolation.
The following consumer trends have forced manufacturers to rethink their packaging offerings in the last few years. It will succeed the companies that change and evolve with customers, while the brands that fail to change will be extinguished.
Pleasant
In a time-hungry world, consumers are looking for convenience in reducing the time spent preparing meals, and innovative packaging can deliver what they want. A perfect example of this can be seen in the Australian supermarket market’s popularity in precut fresh produce, where customers are willing to spend more than double for processed, hygienically cleaned and sliced vegetables.
To support this trend, packaging companies continue to develop specialized breathable packaging, extending the shelf-life of the food it protects as the product passes from the farm through the supply chain to the consumer.
Microwaveable meals were developed primarily for convenience, which came at the expense of freshness of the product and, at times, taste. In recent years, several attempts have been made to improve the quality of the ingredients found in these meals, yet challenges remain. Feedback from consumers shows that microwaveable meals are simple to overcook, frequently not uniformly heated, and can dry out throughout the heating cycle.
Technologists in packaging have powered the creation of improved ready-to-heat and-eat solutions. Efforts have been made to improve the cooking process using various valve technologies which manage the distribution of steam and pressure around the food. This dynamic shift allows brands to provide convenience, quality and consistently well-prepared food, enabling prime positioning in the ready-to – eat market.
Versatility
Consumers are seeking more choice and there was an increase of SKU abundance on the shelves at this time. Choosing the right packaging is crucial to strike a balance between meeting the needs of consumers (the goal of marketers) and achieving operational flexibility. Therefore, packaging managers are revisiting the packaging and decoration choices to achieve the necessary performance.
One emerging trend is the concept of “late stage differentiation,” where at the point of filling decoration is brought in-house and applied. This gives food businesses far more flexibility in meeting consumer demands for more SKUs and allows marketers to run more promotions with shorter notice. There are also ways to minimize production of pre-decorated products, decrease obsolescent inventories and enhance pre-printed packaging graphics and aesthetics. Two key technologies which offered food businesses this breathing space are pressure-sensitive and roll-fed shrink labels.