SPECIAL
FOCUS
35
MAR 2017 FOOD FOCUSTHAILAND
capitalizeon the roleofpackaging in thee-commerceshopper
moment.Although still niche, the importanceof e-commerce
isgrowingasan increasingnumberofconsumerssupplement
brick-and-mortar shopping with online shopping. This trend
isonlygoing togrow, as threequartersofUKconsumerssay
that in10years’ time, theyexpect todomostof theirshopping
online. What this means for packaging is less clear in the
short-term,but,currently,brandsare failing to impresswith the
deliveryof theironlinepackagingexperience.Lookingahead,
brandsmust explore both the opportunities and threats that
onlineshoppingcanbring,whileconsidering the implications
for packaging to remain an integral piece of the purchasing
decision.
PackagingGetsSmart,Active and Intelligent
Increasingdemands for food safety, waste reduction, patient
compliance, and the removal of consumers’ exposure to
hazardous or fraudulent products— these are just a few of
the core drivers now propelling the rapidly emerging genre
of smart, active, and intelligent technologies for packaging.
While there is a lack of standardized definitions for smart,
active, intelligent, andevenmobile-enabledpackaging, there
are still clear and measurable connections with consumers
and in some cases it is even saving lives.
TheExperienceof Packaging
Packaging design has become dominated by the need for
brand recognition and variant identification and information.
In fact, 52% of US food shoppers report being drawn to
packagingwithunusual or eye-catchingdesigns and44%of
Chineseconsumersare interested inpersonalizedpackaging
forcarbonatedsoftdrinks.This,alongsideamonotonous retail
experiencedrivenbyglobalizationand theneed forspeedand
efficiency, has led to a sea of packaging that
all looks thesameandsuffers from information
overload. The next generation of branded
products, particularly those aimed at difficult-
to-engage younger consumers, or the more
cynical, such as the aging hipsters of Gen X,
are looking at design as a bigger part of the
brand, not just to create connections, but to
driveexperiences.Allalong theway,consumers
are increasingly looking for brands to engage
and entertain them.
ExtendMyBrand
Price is a key factor in consumers’ purchasing decisions, but brand
trustalsoplaysapivotal role.According toMintelPurchase Intelligence,
in the US when reacting to new product launches, brand trust can
reach as high as 94%. Indeed, 35% of Brazilian consumers only buy
haircare brands that they have used before and 53% of Chinese
consumers say they are quite loyal to a brand they like. Brands can
leverage that familiarity tocreate loyaltyandextendaproductportfolio
well beyond traditional categories. It’s here that the development
and exploitation of unique and functional packaging decorated with
clear, on-packmessagingcanbeaprimarymotivator of thepurchase
decision process.
The bottom line:good packaging protects your product.
Great packaging protects
your brand.
NUTPODSBLENDRETAILANDE-COMMERCE
