Packaging News You Can Use

Kraft Sheds 150M Pounds of Packaging @ http://is.gd/7f6EK Current CPG trend is to find ways to reduce packaging consumption. Most accomplished though redesign or changing packaging materials.  As you will see in 2010 Packaging Trends Impacting What Consumers Will Buy: Green is no longer on the fringe @ http://packaginguniversity.com/blog/2010/01/11/2010-packaging-trends-2-green-is-no-longer-on-the-fringe/

I-Pad, I-Pad, I-Pad, Spoof and real @ http://is.gd/7aIlZ @ http://is.gd/7aPWL, http://ow.ly/i/odz @ http://is.gd/7dwYS What’s in a name? No matter how good the product the wrong name might spoil it all. In this case getting lots of funny publicity over the name iPad.

Bubble Wrap turns 50: Iconic packaging cushioning celebrates 50 years of “popping up” with new applications: @ http://bit.ly/5QGvHU An excellent example of how you can capitalize in the news with your product packaging. BubbleWrap has inspired students and many packaging designers to create and innovate.

London’s Unpackaged grocery boutique eliminates wasteful packaging @ http://is.gd/6KZKP But how does it get there? This is big trend especially in the UK where there is much more concern over packaging and the environment. Keep an eye out for a similar movement in the US.

Sainsbury’s swaps tinned tomatoes 4 cartons @ http://is.gd/6w0b0 But not everyone is happy As I mention in 2010 Packaging Trends Impacting What Consumers Will Buy the packaging wars have begun with everyone claiming their packaging material is the best. More on point Packaging Trends # 7.  Clichéd But “Out Of The Box Thinking” @ http://packaginguniversity.com/blog/2010/01/18/2010-packaging-trends-7-cliched-but-out-of-the-box-thinking/

SPECIAL REPORT: 2010 Packaging Trends Impacting What Consumers Will Buy:

In this fiercely competitive environment where every element of product packaging counts it’s important to understand any external influences that might keep your consumer from buying.

Packaging trends evolve with consumer’s wants and needs and sometimes they can become a primary factor in whether or not your packaging will succeed. It’s hard to assess each individual importance but it’s critical to manage for your overall packaging success.

Please email for a PDF copy of the top ten packaging trends.

Need to know whose got the latest concepts in packaging innovation? I know that’s what I do-track packaging trends and innovation and how it is going to impact your business. And if you are not connected you may be out of luck or out of business by the end of the year.

Get connected with me JoAnn Hines Packaging Diva at my website http://packagingdiva.com

Tags: BubbleWrap, IPad, Kraft, packaging trends, Sainsbury's, Unpackaged

Once relegated to mostly labels the packaging industry is now purchasing new equipment to keep contemporary with consumer needs. New technology has enabled companies to provide packaging on demand and where products can be produced in small quantities as needed. As the technology becomes more mainstream companies will switch to digital alternatives offering cost savings, inventory and time.

This technology is particularly relevant to the online marketplace where orders can be placed, delivered quickly and in small quantities enabling them to become global competitors.

Customization and personalization options will enable companies to offer unique and personal items in small quantities.

Packaging On Demand

Digital printing will change the way in which firms look at packaging. Businesses are looking at short inventory times and just-in-time delivery, as well as rapid processing of orders.

3d Mockups for packaging development and prototypes can be created for any product.

You can make adjustments and changed before the final product is completed.

Whatever the needs of the market digital packaging is growing. It offers unlimited flexibility to order smaller quantities whether testing the market, launching an new product or juts keeping inventory under control. Digital printing is the wave of the future.

Packaging Phrases To Watch For In 2010

• Digital Packaging
• On Demand Packaging
• Prototypes
• Mockups
• Customization
• Personalization

Tags: Customization Personalization, Digital Packaging, Mockups, On Demand Packaging, Prototypes

Consumers are confused by all the changes happening in their favorite brands. Once brand equity is established its important to keep continuity within the brand. Several ways to alienate the consumer is a complete rebrand where they simply don’t make the connection with the changes in the package.

Rebranding:

2009 brought about the rebranding of some well known products. One example we all know is the Tropicana rebranding fiasco. The company totally lost track of what the consumer expected when they changed their packaging to reflect a more modern look. Consumers were confused when they couldn’t find the trusted brand on the shelf.

Rebranding can be very touchy as consumers are expecting their product to look a certain way and in a certain place. Very few brands successfully complete a major over hall without some consumer fallout. In this case Tropicana lost a 20% market share during this adventure.

Packaging Shrink:

What is it? It’s when the product and its contents get smaller yet the prices remains the same. Its tricky for consumers because the actual size of the packaging may look the same yet the weight of the contents is less. CPG’s are tying to keep a consistent price point because there costs have gone up yet consumers feel they are misleading them by not clearly stating this on the packaging.

Smaller Package Same Price?

When Is A Half Gallon Really A Half Gallon OR A Quart A Quart

In this example you can clearly see the difference. Question is the price the same?

At least they are spelling out the difference in this one.

Via Mouseprint.org

We now have an educated customer that’s reading labels and taking notes. Not only are the reading them but they are comparing like products. Branded merchandise was already loosing ground to private label products, now even more so with the down turn in the economy. If your product shrinks and the consumer isn’t happy they WILL look for alternative especially if they are less expensive.

Considering consumer awareness of the incredible shrinking package and rebranding a smart marketing person would be looking for ways to provide more value not less and retain consumer brand awareness.

Redesign, rebranding and shrinking packaging won’t win the hearts and minds in today’s consumer. Brand loyalty isn’t what it used to be and once they are gone they might never come back.

Packaging Phrases To Watch For In 2010

• Packaging Shrink
• Rebranding
• Brand Loyalty
• Private Label
• Redesign
• CPG
• Tropicana

Tags: Brand Loyalty, Consumers, CPG, packaging, packaging shrink, Private Label, Rebranding, Redesign, retail, Tropicana

Consumers are busy and you have to reach them where and when you can. We’ve already seen the growth of higher end products in convenience stores to catch consumers on the run. So where else can you capture to dollar of that elusive consumer and what packaging will appeal to them?

Despite all you have read about excess packaging of products consumers still want convenience and are willing to pay for it. It has to fit their busy lifestyles too.

For example the trend towards more healthy eating even on the go is offering more opportunity. Companies have developed fresh produce offerings for vending machines.

Del Monte Fresh produce introduces fresh fruit and vegetable vending line to address need for healthy snack alternatives.

Or even the vending machine itself. This is a far cry from the typical “roach” coach.

Advanced Technology: h.u.m.a.n. machines include digital LCD screens, credit card readers, and remote inventory monitoring capabilities.

Other options might include offering fresh fruit such as bananas in not traditional places.

As in most fruit ripeness is a factor so packaging is helping extend the shelf life.

Individually wrapped bananas are coming to many 7-Elevens as part of a marketing test.

Other retailers are expanding into more varieties of offerings such as Walgreens such as this headline indicates:

“Jan. 15 (Bloomberg) — Walgreen Co. plans to offer fresh foods and prepared meals to draw “time-starved” shoppers to its more than 7,000 stores, taking on retailers such as Target Corp. and Kroger Co.”

or

“Target, the second-largest U.S. discount store, is expanding its food offerings in general merchandise stores under the name PFresh. PFresh stores will have fruit, ground meat and other fresh foods, as well as pre-made sandwiches, salads and other prepared meals in the store’s Food Avenue area, said Jana O’Leary, a spokeswoman.”

Lastly you have consumer products companies such as P&G going directly to retail bypassing traditional retail outlets.

The maker of Tide detergent, Pampers diapers and Gillette shavers is taking hundreds of its popular consumer products directly to shoppers through a new Web site.”

In this image provided by Procter & Gamble, the home page for the company’s “eStore” is shown. Procter & Gamble is taking hundreds of its popular consumer products directly to shoppers through the new Web site. (AP Photo/Procter & Gamble) Via newsvine.com

With all these new avenues of selling the consumer its even more critical that your packaging reach out to them in the right places with the right message. You never know where your next purchase might come from.

Packaging Phrases To Watch For In 2010:

• Non Conventional Retail Outlets
• Walgreens
• Target
• Fresh Produce
• Modified Atmosphere Packaging
• Procter &Gamble

Tags: fresh produce, Modified Atmosphere Packaging, Non Conventional Retail Outlets, packaging, Procter &Gamble, Target, Walgreens

Plastic to glass, paper to plastic and so on. Let the packaging wars begin as each material tries to claim it’s the best most economical and good for the environment. It’s impossible to conclude that there is one best material for every application.

Here are some recent competing statements:

FEVE – the EU association for container glass – declared that glass was the most eco-friendly packing material as it released figures showing that the 25.5 billion containers collected for recycling in 2008 represented “an average recycling rate of 65 per cent for the EU27 countries”.

“Coca-Cola Great Britain teamed up with the Carbon Trust to determine the greenhouse gas emissions involved in the life cycle of glass, metal and plastic packaging, and found that the carbon footprint of glass packaging is more than double the impact of using aluminum cans.”

See what I mean!

As a further example look at the “bottled water” wars where everyone claims theirs is the best package for the environment. You will see water packaged in all the primary packaging materials as everyone clamors for improved market share or a competitive advantage.

Paper And Paperboard Water Bottles

The PaperBottle is made from molded pulp is not yet commercial viable but has many potential applications. BoxedWater is a real product and is really like a milk carton.

Eco-friendly Plastic Options

If plastic is bad for the environment is the PlantBottle truly green or just another marketing gimmick?

A plastic bottle made from plants – up to 30 per cent organic material to start. Coke is trying to do its part to reduce plastic consumption for its bottles.

Less Overall Plastic Options

GlacierPak takes up considerably less space in landfills, the primary complain against traditional bottled water. But still it’s packaging to dispose of even though it does reduce the amount of waste. So is this “really” an eco packaging solution?

Via SustainableIsGood.com

Water In Composite Paperboard Solutions Considered More Eco-Friendly

Plant It Water cartons are sustainable alternatives to disposable plastic bottles.

No wonder consumers are confused by eco-friendly packaging options

And I haven’t even covered the refillable options. It seems clear from these very different examples that everyone has a different opinion which packaging is best.  So just take water as an example in off the wall and out of the box thinking in developing your product packaging. Your packaging can be any material as long as you back it up with consumer wants and needs. Let the best packaging material win!

Packaging Phrases To Watch For In 2010:

• Eco-Friendly
• Virgin Materials
• Alternative Packaging
• LifeCycle
• Paper
• Plastic
• Glass
• PlantBottle
• PaperBottle
• Molded Pulp
• BoxedWater
• Material Of Choice

Tags: Alternative Packaging, Aluminum, BoxedWater, eco friendly, glass, LifeCycle, Material Of Choice, Molded Pulp, packaging, Paper, PaperBottle, plantbottle, Plastic, Virgin Materials