James Montero MacColl highlights the multifaceted role of packaging beyond mere functionality, emphasising its crucial impact on consumer decisions and brand success.

To paraphrase a well-known proverb, “Take care of the packaging and the pounds will take care of themselves.”

Packaging can often be viewed as a functional tool to safely and effectively get products into the hands of consumers, but to truly fulfil its potential, packaging must deliver a commercial return too.

No product is on the shelf without packaging, and no packaging is on the shelf without a product. This symbiotic relationship is compounded by the science of packaging design and the role of the subconscious mind in buying behaviours, which drive purchasing decisions and consumer preferences for specific brands, products and services.

This makes it a necessity to keep all the requirements placed upon a product and its packaging in perfect equilibrium, to deliver function, value and, ultimately, a commercial return.

P-P-Pick up a pack
To properly gauge this, it is necessary to go back to the beginning.

Protection is the first of the three (four?*) accepted Ps of packaging; protection in terms of safeguarding contents from external elements, knocks and shocks. Contamination, spoilage, and damage might occur at any stage of the supply chain. This gives packaging a critically important role from the outset. Choosing the right format and design essentially depend on the product to be packed and its fragility or susceptibility.

This leads to the second P, preservation. Ensuring product quality and integrity. This is another essential, and as relevant for FMCG items and fresh food as it is perfumes and dermatologically tested creams and oils. Consumers always want the best experiences when using or consuming a product, so preserving its core flavour, taste, aroma, appearance and essence are top priorities. You could have the best packaging, but if your customer opens the box/bottle/bag to find the product stale and unsuitable to use, that’s a major problem. Glass and metal containers provide robust barriers that can help preserve a product. When coupled with the canning process or sterilisation, an extended shelf life can be achieved. Flexibles are constructed with barrier characteristics that limit a product’s interaction with external influences, although in some instances, controlled interactions are required – degassing valves that allow products to “breathe”, for example.

P three – promote – then follows. As the main visual and physical interaction your brand and product have with consumers, packaging is important to securing sales, building brand loyalty and delivering repeat business. Take a walk down any supermarket aisle or inspect a grocery store’s shelves closely and it quickly becomes abundant just how impactful packaging is. Toothpaste is the classic example. Initially, there were just a few brands to choose from, each with only one or two varieties. For a long time, that’s how the market was. Skip forward, and there’s an almost endless array of toothpastes, each designed to satisfy specific consumer preferences and tastes. Brands such as Arm & Hammer, Colgate, Corsodyl, Crest, Macleans, Oral-B and Sensodyne each offer any number of products to make teeth whiter, shinier and more sparkly, flavoured with more types of mint than you can pick the leaves of, packed with odour neutralising crystals, and/or offering to repair and protect enamel. Each has its own packaging and design, intended to capture the attention of consumers, making toothpaste a perfect example of how product proliferation and promotion has been facilitated by packaging. For a modern-day equivalent, head down the pet food aisle. Cat, dog, budgie and rabbit owners among you will attest to the staggering variety of brands and products to choose from – not that fickle pets themselves care. They aren’t as easily persuaded by the appearance and feel of packaging as their owners are. That’s one of the reasons why pet food is such a hotly contested market and brands in that space go all-out with their branding and packaging.

*Personalisation could be considered the fourth P, but for now it remains a niche area in the vast dominion of packaging.

Think inside the box
But how do you go about ensuring you’re properly balancing the need to protect and preserve products, with the value proposition inherent in packaging as a promotional tool?

Here’s are a few pointers to help you on your way:

Understand your product – By considering the size and materials in your product, as well as any logistical requirements, you can make sure packaging is a perfect fit. For example, delicate items might require secure packaging and be designed to offset knocks and bumps, while unique shapes and sizes could demand a solution tailored to your exact needs.

Know your audience – Once you have identified your target consumers nailed down, it’s easier to make sure the product suits their needs and packaging is optimised for the intended user(s). For instance, ask yourself: Does the pack need to be tamper-proof? Does it need to be accessible? Is there a need to close and reseal? Is it recyclable? Can it be composted? The more the packaging appeals to your ideal consumer, the further you are down the road to success.

Buck bigger trends – It can be easy to fall into the trap of slavishly following consumer trends and retail analysts’ predictions. Granted, they provide good background information upon which to guide decisions, but differentiating yourself from the market is a positive way to ensure success at the ‘Moment of Truth’ and establish yourself in the market. Are you standing out from the competition? Does your packaging deliver on your product’s USPs? Does it reflect your business’s ideals and ethos? Ask yourself, ‘Do I want to be Pepsi to Coca-Cola or would I rather be KinKind to Head & Shoulders?’.
These are just a handful of suggestions of how packaging can be both practical and rewarding for your business and your customers.

Sharing their view is Holemn Iggesund’s Ginny Samuel, Brand Owner Manager, Holmen Board and Paper. “We believe that packaging does more than protect a product; it enhances the entire brand experience. Our survey reveals that nearly half of European consumers in the premium market are influenced by packaging, underscoring its critical role in purchasing decisions. The right packaging not only simplifies choices but also delivers the brand experience consumers seek.”

These examples and more are regular features of London Packaging Week events, where an abundance of suppliers and partners are on hand to guide you through this minefield and ensure your chosen packaging solutions are not only practical, but also commercially viable and able to deliver bottom-line results. A curated speaker programme – including many brands and retailers who have walked this road themselves – adds first-hand experience that you can use to guide and shape your packaging journey.

“We look forward to discussing the future role of packaging and how it can continue to drive consumer engagement and commercial success,” adds Ms Samuel.

In any case, remember that packaging isn’t just practical. It also tells a story and engages our senses. By understanding your product and audience, you can create effective packaging that aligns with your brand, monetising your bags, boxes and labels and ensuring packaging is a commercial fit for your product.

Registration is now open for London Packaging Week 2024, which takes place 11 & 12 September at ExCeL.