{"id":724,"date":"2015-07-31T11:11:43","date_gmt":"2015-07-31T11:11:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.rajapack.co.uk\/blog-uk\/?p=724"},"modified":"2021-12-15T16:04:07","modified_gmt":"2021-12-15T16:04:07","slug":"the-lessons-we-can-learn-from-food-packaging","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.rajapack.co.uk\/blog-uk\/the-lessons-we-can-learn-from-food-packaging","title":{"rendered":"The lessons we can learn from food packaging"},"content":{"rendered":"

Whether it be primary, secondary or transit packaging, there are some top tips that help businesses better market their products and strengthen their brand. One industry that is very good at this, is the food packaging industry.<\/p>\n

Food packaging is vitally important: not only does it protect food during transportation, but it also helps sell the food. You can have the same two products in two different packages, and if one looks much nicer it is much more likely to sell more.<\/p>\n

\"Food<\/p>\n

Food packaging can also help to encourage repeat business, making it easy for customers to find and select your product in a shop. Though take note, it might also deter potential buyers if they don\u2019t feel it\u2019s genuine. This excellent food packaging comparison<\/a> shows the reality of misleading food packaging, where in many cases the food product looks nothing like what the packaging suggests.<\/p>\n

The key to good food packaging is a marriage of several elements such as practicality, attractiveness to customers and the ability to protect the food, amongst others.<\/p>\n

We asked some top food packaging experts what they think are the key lessons that we can all learn from their industry:<\/p>\n

1) Be honest about the way the your product looks<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Stoats<\/p>\n

These designs for Stoats<\/em> by Leeds based Robot Food<\/a> feature a window through which the porridge oats can actually be seen. Using a window like this gives the customer an accurate depiction of what the product looks like before they buy; the appearance of the product is actually a factor in the decision to buy the product. If the customer is persuaded by the appearance of the food, they are less likely to be disappointed when the packaging is finally opened.<\/p>\n

We sat down with Simon Forster from Robot Food<\/em> to discuss their work for Stoats<\/em>:<\/p>\n

\u201cFor any brand with a limited marketing budget, it\u2019s necessary for the packaging to tell the brand story and promote the product. This was the case for Stoats. Retaining enough from the previous design to make it easy for brand loyalists to understand, we injected a whole load of fun in a way that was true to the Stoats story. The new designs are eclectic, colourful and inviting to all ages. The naive illustration style feels homemade, almost as if the designs were created by the team at Stoats. The packaging has interest and brand tone of voice all over to keep you entertained while eating your breakfast.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to see the quality of the premixed porridges and the high content of fruit inclusion. The die cut windows show off the product in an engaging way that works with the design to create a morning scene, celebrating occasion. Natural cues are represented in the nature of the loose illustration, with wheat, fruit, birds and sky and further cues come from printing the card on the textured reverse and in the choice of fonts.\u201d<\/p>\n

This method of showing the food is recommended for organic products and other high quality luxury foods.<\/p>\n

\"Sausages\"<\/p>\n

2) Create packaging people want to keep<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>\"Coke\"<\/p>\n

Famous packages like the Kikkoman Soy Sauce bottle (designed by Kenji Ekuan) and the Coca-Cola bottle (created by Earl R. Dean) are not only iconic designs, but also collectors\u2019 items within their own right. Both of these designs are often used as small vases for flowers, and the multi-use properties of packaging such as these will often influence a purchase\/encourage a sale? Other industries that could adopt this approach include perfumers and shoe makers.<\/p>\n

3) Be clear: communicate what the product is in a simple manner<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u00a0\"shopping\"<\/strong>\u2018Value\u2019 product packaging design may not be that obviously exciting, but it is undeniably clear in its communication of what\u2019s inside the package. The Tesco Everyday packaging by Rocket Design<\/a> is clear, concise and effective: a customer quickly knows exactly what they are getting.<\/p>\n

Some designs are not so clear, such as this infamous Fabuloso bottle: is it a fruit juice drink or a cleaning product?<\/p>\n

\"Fabuloso\"<\/p>\n

Answer: It\u2019s a cleaning product.<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/strong>4) Always think about the environmental impact of your packaging
\n(because your customers do!)<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Bananas\"<\/p>\n

This packaging for bananas in Morrisons went viral \u2013 and for good reason too. They really didn\u2019t need to be wrapped in so much plastic and the environmental impact of so much packaging could be enormous in the long run.<\/p>\n

When designing food packaging, a designer needs to consider not only how the packaging will be used to transport and sell the product, but what happens to once it\u2019s thrown away. A good starting point is to ask the following questions:<\/p>\n