Packaging News You Can Use

You bet! It’s that time of year and consumers are on the warpath more than usual.

It’s an instant headline when you either talk about how angry people get when they try to open a package, how many trips they had to take to the hospital because of injuries in opening packaging or how they have been mislead by bad packaging.  Numerous magazines and websites have even taken to giving out awards for the worst packaging examples. Consumers can’t wait to send in their examples and vent how they are unhappy.

Its one thing to antagonize a consumer with your packaging it’s another to solve the problem. Solving packaging problems makes happy consumers.

This year there are three basic categories of angry consumers about packaging.

Angry over hard to open packaging (Wrap-Rage):

“Wrap-Rage” (Extreme anger caused by product packaging that is difficult to open or manipulate) was even the runner up word in this years Webster’s new word competition.

Predominately associated with plastic clamshells that are almost impenetrable (never mind that there is a reason for it.) The very hard ones are sonically welded shut and you could never pull them open.

Anybody Recognize This?

Enterprising companies have come up with tools to help you open them too. I’ve received and assortment that do really work. But guess what they sell them in a clamshell too.

Thus far no one has come up with a suitable alternative although companies are trying to reduce the plastic profile to as minimal as possible.

Smaller Plastic Bigger Card

Angry over being mislead (packaging misinformation):

The most recent problems have been coming from consumers being mislead by product packaging. Either health claims or misinformation about the contents inside. Its doesn’t matter what type of claim just the fact that its wrong is what’s pushing people’s hot button. And the FTC and FDA are on the case too.

One campaign against so called “Smart Choices” lead to all the packaging being changes after consumer objected to what they considered good food choices.

Was this label telling the truth?

Read the FDA Guidance for Industry: Letter Regarding Point of Purchase Food Labeling @ http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/ucm187208.htm

In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that it will soon begin to target any logos or labels or symbols on cereals, snacks and other food packaging which may be making false claims to mislead or confuse the consumers. So the outcome is not yet known.

But in any case before you rush your package to market be sure and check the latest labeling guidelines and the pulse of the consumer. What you say on the front of your packaging could be misconstrued and case significant packaging problems.

Angry because the packaging is getting smaller (packaging shrink):

This is not a new phenomenon. Packaging has been getting smaller over the years (look at an old cookbook). It’s just more common place now as companies shrink the size of the package and contents to keep prices the same instead of increasing them.

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

Sorry, but we now have an educated customer that’s reading labels and taking notes. Not only are they reading them but they are comparing like products, making informed shopping decisions. 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 or provides an unsatisfactory experience and the consumer isn’t happy they WILL look for alternative especially if they are less expensive. So do you shrink your package at the consumer’s expense?

What makes the consumer happy? Not having bad packaging to vent about. So go out of your way in 2010 to consider consumer anger touch points as you design your product packaging.  Avoid “Wrap-Rage, Packaging Shrink and Misinformation wherever possible.

Got Angry Consumers? I can HELP!

You know that I’m one of the foremost consumer product packaging experts and I want to ensure you don’t make the same mistake. I’ve created a packaging “review” program tailored just for you if you have new product packaging or have just completed a packaging makeover or are introducing a new product.

It’s very simple, you provide me either with art work or physical packaging samples along with a description of your target consumer and I’ll send you a written report explaining why your packaging is or is not connecting with them.

The packaging evaluation consists of several things.

• First, I will tell you the overall impression of your product packaging.
• Second, I will cover how connected you message is to your core consumer.
• Third, I will comment on general areas of improvement or change.
• Lastly, I will cover any packaging trends that might impact your product packaging.

Sounds simple? It is, affordable too! Email me for more details on how to make your consumer want to buy your product because you have the RIGHT packaging.

Tags: clamshell, consumer, FDA, FTC, packaging, packaging shrink, WrapRage

Everyone is in a tizzy over the FDA cracking down on mislabeling of product packaging. The FDA has long been the primary regulator of many types of product packaging legislation. There are extensive documents, procedures and regulations with which many manufacturers must comply.

But recent food product packaging claims have received worldwide media attention particularly from the MOM factor about the “Smart Choice Label”. Smart Choice, promised to “provide ‘at-a-glance’ information that a product met strict science-based nutrition criteria” that made it easy for a consumer to make an informed purchasing decision.

Yet when one looks at the selection of products chosen it raises serious thoughts about the real nutritional value. Smart Choices, includes major companies such as Kellogg Co., Kraft Foods Inc. and General Mills Inc., and has been criticized for handing its “Smart Choice Lable” to processed foods that are high in sugar, such as Froot Loops cereal and Cracker Jack snack food.

AP Photo/Russel A. Daniels

Is excess sugar a smart choice?

The “Smart Choices” launch included several hundred products from a variety of companies. Now most of these companies have temporarily suspended the program pending FDA clarification.

Is this label telling the truth?

You can read the FDA Guidance for Industry: Letter Regarding Point of Purchase Food Labeling @ http://www.fda.gov/Food/GuidanceComplianceRegulatoryInformation/GuidanceDocuments/FoodLabelingNutrition/ucm187208.htm

In addition, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) said that it will soon begin to target any logos or labels or symbols on cereals, snacks and other food packaging which may be making false claims to mislead or confuse the consumers. So the outcome is not yet known.

But in any case before you rush your package to market be sure and check the latest labeling guidelines and the pulse of the consumer. What you say on the front of your packaging could be misconstrued and case significant packaging problems.

For more on misleading packaging claims read: Packaging You LIE.. @

http://packaginguniversity.com/blog/2009/09/25/packaging-you-lie/

Please weigh in and tell me were you mislead by the Smart Choices logo on products you bought? If you are unsure whether your packaging claims might get you in trouble that’s what I do help you separate fact from fiction on your product packaging. Visit http://packagingdiva.com and request information how I can help.

Tags: FDA, health claims, labeling of food, misleading claims, packaging, Smart Choices, trust

This week another lawsuit was settled about product packaging misleading the consumer with over stated health benefits. Certain claims are consider deceptive and considered false advertising by overstating the health benefits in consuming this product.

Lawsuits And White Lies

I have to admit I’ve seen the ads and was seriously considering purchasing this product from a trusted brand Dannon but now I wonder about the validity of the product claims on other products I buy from them.

Better for your tummy or the manufacturer?

Once you have lost the consumer trust it’s hard to get it back. I think trust is the most important part of package branding. You want to believe what the company says is true and simplify the purchasing decision by using brands you know.

Here is another recent case where a product claim was made that eating Cheerios can help lower bad cholesterol, a risk factor for coronary heart disease, by four percent in six weeks. The FDA says that statements made on Cheerios packaging like the claim that the cereal is “clinically proven to help lower cholesterol” make the product a drug under federal law said no way Jose and if you don’t correct the mislabeling we will remove it from the shelves.

Eat this and become heart healthy?

Packaging “green” or “greenwash?”

Let’s talk about the latest hot button “greenwashing.” Everybody wants to be green and claims abound. Too many to cover here but one point to consider is the validity of all these new phrases and buzzwords appearing on the product packaging.: eco, compostable, biodegradable, sustainable, environmentally friendly and so on.

Some companies are also making claims that the certify themselves. This is particularly prevalent in the environmental area where there is no overseeing packaging agency that monitors the claims. Just because a company says its green doesn’t necessarily mean it is.

SC Johnson developed the Greenlist™ process—“to help our scientists make choices that protect the planet and its people while maintaining the high performance of our products.” The Greenlist™ process provides ratings for more than 95 percent of the raw materials we use, including solvents, propellants, insecticides, packaging, and more.

What is a “Greenlist” anyway? Can anybody get on it?

The DuPont Sustainable Packaging icon captures key elements of environmentally smart packaging solutions from DuPont that are made with renewable resources that enables recycling and that helps reduce the amount of packaging.

Mom’s Know Best Or Do They?

Finally let’s not overlook the MOM factor. They are entrusted with making the right decision when it comes to buying the right products for their families.  While shopping by rote is commonplace moms are particularly careful when it comes to choosing products for their kids.

Most moms are so time crunched that they rely heavily on what product packaging has to say. So what about statements like this?

Who’s monitoring these foods that are carrying this label? Are these products seriously smart or is it just a marketing gimmick?

This is taken directly from their website

No matter where you shop or what brands you buy – the Smart Choices Program™ provides simple, front-of-pack nutrition guidance to help you make smarter food and beverage choices.

Leads one to believe this is a symbol you can trust. But I’ve looked at some of the foods and I’m not so sure about it making me question the validity of a “smart” choice.

Is this label telling the truth?

The point is when a claim is made on product packaging you are trusting that what the manufacturer says is true. For the vast majority of products this is accurate but it seems recently that in an effort to convince the elusive consumer some products are stretching the truth a little too much.

Will this hurt their sales? There have been lots of examples of companies loosing their core consumer and lost revenue because of product packaging mistakes. In keeping true to your audience be sure to validate your packaging claims to eliminate angry consumers crying out “Packaging You LIE.”

Tags: deceptive practices, FDA, MOM factor, packaging, Smart Choices, trust