Packaging Trends!

Packaging remains a priority for all major groups within the food and beverage industries. Even if its appeal still triggers purchases, consumers are expecting much more from packaging today. Some of the requirements for packaging requirements include opening and use must be simple and must provide complete and reliable information about the product (manufacturer, ingredients, traceability and manufacturing processes. The informed consumer is not only aware of what they are consuming but also what packaging is used. Manufacturers see new consumer expectations as an opportunity to develop packaging that better reveal the product’s qualities, enhances consumption experience and increase interactions between brands and consumers. Here are some of the trends out in the market currently.

Sustainable Packaging

While sustainable packaging has been available for a few years now, the newest technologies and materials reflect how manufacturers are getting innovative with their eco-efforts. This may not exactly count as a trend but as a contribution towards an environmentally friendly lifestyle in the baking industry. Consumers need to know that manufacturers of the food the eat are as green as they are and this goes beyond the recycling symbol on the packaging.

Packaging with Visual Authenticity

As more people eat and drink on the go at school, work, the gym and in transit. Consumers want, first and foremost, packaging that is easy to hold, open, use and reseal. Visual appeal is also becoming increasingly important as consumers want products that offer style as well as functionality. Packaging designers should understand the importance style plays with modern consumers, who increasingly have food in hand everywhere, all the time. With the ‘selfie generation’, image is everything hence it is important to always have packaging that is not only environmentally friendly but appealing to the eye. That puts today’s food and beverage companies under crucible-level pressure to connect with modern consumers’ self-images, and still fit functionality, sustainability and with style into their products.

Ultra Pure Packaging

Many manufacturers are going for the minimal look, letting their brands speak for themselves. Most manufacturers choose to go with a bold colour that becomes their theme and signature for their products and can be easily recognisable in the market. Consumers have shown appreciation for the clean or ‘pure’ look and are embracing it more. Bakeries opt for bright colours that represent happiness and fun without compromising on the quality of the products and the functionality of the packaging.

These trends are a clear indication of the state of packaging design and they represent where the state of consumerism is at as well. They prove that consumers’ tastes and desires are not only changing, but they are rapidly evolving and becoming more expressive and passionate about the products they consume, and the packaging they come in.