After all, standing out on shelf is the final hurdle in vying for the attention of consumers. In the build up to launch or reinventing a new product, we set out a marketing plan involving advertising, PR events, social media and other initiatives but many brands seem to loose sight of the product itself and the design of the package. So when do you really know it’s time to reevaluate and update your food packaging design and graphics? What are the rules? Here are five signs telling you that it’s time to update and some of the pitfalls to avoid.

1. It’s been 5 years since your food packaging design was refreshed

Five years is a considerable amount of time for food packaging to remain unchanged. Consumers get used to seeing the ‘same ole same ole’. It’s time to freshen things up – cause a stir and grab their attention again. Within that time, the product category itself and the company in terms of the brand have evolved so it makes sense that product/s should follow suit. An update should not be made for the sake of change or a fleeting trend. Marketers and designers should collaborate to carefully and respectfully re-design the package design with the aim of tying it closely to a strategic positioning that is relevant to the consumer. When all is said and done, brands want sales. Products need to fly off shelf. Company employees need to get paid and the company cogs need to keep turning.

2. The competition is ever evolving

As mentioned, five years in FMCG is a long time (most notably in the food industry) for some brands to sit still, especially if you want your brand to be positioned as a category leader. At the beginning of any design initiative, it is important to evaluate what has changed and who has changed. So it’s a good idea to track competitors in real-time. Tracking is critical to understanding the trends and agility of any competitor as it’s important to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your competition and when to strike before any decisions are made.

3. Consumers are getting smarter

Consumer research can be extremely insightful, signalling when to change and why. Consumers are getting smarter, much smarter. Many moons ago, when supermarkets didn’t exist it was an easy playing field. Premier Supermarkets, a subsidiary of Express Dairies, opened the UK’s first supermarket in Streatham, South London in 1951. Back in the day, competition was minimal but fast forward to now-time and we’ve got a brand war going on – on every shelf, in every supermarket. Over the years, consumers have become extremely savvy, they know the game and how to play it. They recognise a sales pitch even under the best disguise. So what age group is the best to study? It has to be millennials, they are the instigators and the drivers of change. Given the group’s size and increasing spending prowess, millennials are the consumers on the cutting edge of new things. This is the group that sets new trends and those that are emerging in the food industry include ready meals, fresh meal kits and other online food services. This group are changing their eating habits – they like to eat out more but then they also want convenience and they want to know more about their food, how it is made and where it comes from. They are hungry for information and demand transparency from companies. Millennials are more likely to read the information on the labelling and packaging. Integrating food into their lifestyles requires management and this demographic are pushed for time.

4. Retailers are demanding change

Now more than ever, we hear that retailers are demanding change. It could be argued this is an ugly development. However, retailers are under increasing pressure to delight consumers within aisles, especially in the centre of the store. With increasing category growth and brands competing for the same retail space, categories and entire aisles have become so fragmented. They are overwhelming and could benefit from clear banner brands. The change, if addressed correctly, could be as simple as basic design housekeeping, not a drastic overhaul. Try to understand what the retailer is seeing, take an objective point of view. See the shelf through their eyes.

5. Your brand has got lost or just wandered off

Every brand should continually look in the mirror and question why the food packaging details exist. The information contained, how it’s displayed. Too much text and consumers won’t read it. Too little will also have the same effect – consumers want to know what’s in their ready meal. Is the information still valid, has it changed? Does the consumer recognise them, value them and better yet, relate them to what you intended in the first place? The brand message on a package is often diluted little by little with small changes over time, but it’s hard to see without taking a step back. Packaging is an important – if not the most important – part of the marketing mix for many consumer goods products. Treat it that way. Be on the lookout for signs that it’s time to update. And when the time is right, make a good job of your food packaging because it will be another 5 years or so until you will probably do it again.

For further information contact marketing on +44(0)1284 749144.

Free and Easy attract consumers with their bold, healthy and informative designs…

Pemberton & Whitefoord designed Free & Easy’s new free-from cake mix and soup ranges.

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Focus on freshness

An estimated 30% of US consumers gauge a product’s freshness not by looking at the use-by date, but by looking at the product itself. That doesn’t mean packaging design is no longer relevant, however, as it can still influence consumers’ initial perception in more ways than one. Keeping colour psychology in mind, graphic designers can use a specific set of colours to emphasise a product’s freshness. Packaging can also be used to highlight the fact that a product does not contain additives or unnatural preservatives.

Different types of transparent food packaging

According to Mintel’s Food Packaging Trends Report, Brands who adopt clear and succinct package messaging will be rewarded as consumers prefer brands that embrace minimalism. Nearly 60 percent of US consumers find transparent packaging useful but less important than the quality of the packaging material itself. In other words, transparent food packaging is ideally made of recyclable packaging material. Glass jars and bottles, and PET bottles and containers are obvious choices, but a growing number of manufacturers are even experimenting with plastic see through cans. And the growing trend for ready meals is seeing transparent tubs for showing the freshness of the product on shelf.

Clear or opaque packaging?

In days gone by, the majority of food packaging was thick and opaque – all the better to keep out elements like light and moisture which could potentially spoil the food product itself. Many consumers are now gravitating towards packaging that lets us actually see the food we’re buying. And it makes sense why this trend is gaining momentum now.

But a bigger reason for the boost in transparent packaging is, nutritional transparency – in our quest for healthier, fresher foods, we actually want to see the ingredients and textures of what we’re about to eat. After all, we eat with our eyes.

Going clear doesn’t work for all foods. That’s why some food packaging feature a ‘window’, which gives us a tiny peek at the food stuff that’s inside without giving the whole game away.

Let your products have clarity with Ravenwood clear linerless labels

Ravenwood sources clear BOPP film for its transparent labels from Innovia Films. The uniquely approved film is an approved material for application by Ravenwood Nobac machines. Transparent film allows for increased brand impact and is especially popular for frozen and chilled products. Transparent film boasts many advantages:

• High stiffness for high speed label application
• Tear resistant
• Enhanced shelf appeal versus paper labelling
• Opting for clear packaging such as, containers, MAP or skin pack and then applying a clear linerless label will give food products complete transparency, showcasing the freshness
• Food stuffs can ‘sell themselves’ instead of relying on fancy packaging to do the unnecessary work for them.

For further information, contact Marketing on +44 (0) 1284 749144.

Clear linerless labels coupled with transparent packaging allows the freshness of the product to shine through which is now considered a major selling point…

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Traditionally, competition has focused on brand identity, quality and pricing as the main tools for creating distance between competitors. This playing field is now changing, with sustainable packaging being added to the mix. Only when we gain harmony between these 4 factors, are we then on the road to gaining consumer loyalty for driving repeat purchase.

A BRAND IS A PROMISE – A GOOD BRAND IS A PROMISE KEPT

A strong brand identity is crucial, giving your company and products personality, energy and visual impact. As a species, humans are very loyal and this also rings true with our purchasing decisions. Strong brands hold centre stage in our minds, especially when faced with multiple products on shelf. So instead of designing packaging purely for the product, we should use the packaging to highlight and enforce the brand. Whether a product is the new kid on the block or has held pride of place on shelf for many years, brand building here must create trial and reinforce existing consumer relationships by advancing a product’s positioning. A good brand is like a strong hand shake – a sign of strength and assuredness. Prime example of strong branding is the iconic Marmite.

Marmite – Iconic Branding

EDUCATE, ENTERTAIN AND ENGAGE YOUR AUDIENCE

The impact of packaging can make the difference between success or failure of a product. Not only the look and feel of the package, but also the information on the label itself is essential for great shelf appeal. Food labels are the driving force for educating, entertaining and engaging your audience. Something should happen between the consumer and the packaging because a visual cue is the first point of contact with the consumer. It affords the opportunity to evaluate product quality – an essential qualifier for choosing one brand over another. Why pay, even at a cheap price point for a product that does not look and sound appealing?

Packaging that conveys a sense of humor helps to ‘speak’ to the consumer in a friendly and persuasive manner. By tapping into the psyche of a potential customer means that emotional connections are made and break through the clutter that surrounds. The ‘Big Knit’ campaign launched by Innocent did wonders for the brand.

Innocent – The ‘Big Knit’

OLD SCHOOL RULES

Reflecting back to the good old days of yesteryear conjures up ‘feel good’ memories and nostalgia. And the same holds true for brands and their packaging. We’ve seen a number of cereal and snack companies bring back classic designs and flavors, which ultimately remind consumers of why they first fell in love with a brand or product. It’s about recreating an emotional connection and building a bridge to the evolution of the brand. Bisto also pulled this one off nicely with their 2015 annual collectors tin by putting a contemporary spin on a retro offering.

Ahh Bisto! – 2015 Celebration Tin

PLAYGROUND PRICING

Pricing also strongly influences our decision making. The consensus where pricing is concerned is that we sell products to make money. The more products we sell, the more money we make. Sell them at a higher price and fewer people will buy them but we make more profit per unit. Sell them for too little and we will probably sell more but people will assume that they are poor quality. It’s swings and roundabouts but you need to get the balance right to avoid the squabbles. Post Brexit and as of last month, competition between supermarkets means that it’s now cheaper to do your food shopping than it was a year ago – and the price war hasn’t finished yet.

Supermarket Price Wars – Are prices set to come down further?

THE ‘BOGOF’ EFFECT

The human mind is attracted to anything perceived as a good deal. ‘Buy one get one free’ (BOGOF) is the most popular marketing strategy to persuade people to buy things. People love a bargain and an element of surprise. Limited edition packaging is the another way to build on that affinity, without messing with the brand or the product’s core attributes. Special purchases provide a license to put aside typical behavior constraints so disrupting the norm and encouraging impulsive buying. It’s also an incredible opportunity to drive sales forward and offers a great shortcut to jump into the premium category, encouraging consumers to choose your brand over their preferred choice or the competition.

Labels that feature specific promotional mechanisms are a powerful driver in terms of consumer engagement for encouraging repeat purchase. Linerless labels produced by Ravenwood Packaging provide brand owners with more space to speak to their customers – double the space in fact. Due to the peelable adhesive quality of the glue lines allows for the back of the label to feature additional information such as tips on health, recipes, promotions, information on food safety and much more. Why not read our blog> 10 Reasons to Choose Linerless Labels

Ravenwoods’ Slideable Linerless Ready Meal Sleeve

SUSTAINABLE PACKAGING – REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE

Sustainable food packaging is a craze that is set to gain momentum in the years ahead as more and more companies are going all out to be ‘seen as green’. And with consumers adopting greener and more ethical lifestyles, food packaging is therefore becoming just as important as the product itself.

PANTONE colour of the Year selection for 2017– is non other than ‘Greenery’. Green is a colour of balance and harmony of the mind, the body and the emotions. In colour psychology, it relates to security, wealth and growth. And it’s no wonder, in packaging, the colour green has historically proved popular for organic and environmentally friendly products including wholefoods and plant based. Read our full article here> Food & Packaging Trends – Prepare to See Green in 2017

Mushroom packaging by Evocative Design – safe, healthy and certified sustainable

TIME WAITS FOR NO ONE

Time. Our lives are defined by the ability to make decisions which are divided into a series of moments. Time is something that we seem to have increasingly less of – as time goes by. Our lives are getting busier and our decision making faster. So the trick is to entice your customer into a moment of engagement – setting the scene for their undivided attention. Your product is counting on it. Is your packaging and labelling selling your products?  If sales are down and products aren’t flying off the shelf then something isn’t working. Sometimes you win, sometimes you learn and sometimes we have to look to our more successful competitors. What are they doing that you should be doing better?

Ravenwood linerless label samples and brochures available upon request. Contact us here or call us on +44(0)1284 749144 to find out more.

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