How desirable is your packaging to the consumer?

Quite understandably, a considerable amount of packaging supplies and techniques have been
designed with economy and cost-saving in mind. Having a good grasp of this is important.
However, one very important aspect of packaging that can be overlooked is how desirable your
packaging is for the consumer.

Once in awhile it’s important to stop and think about what your packaging says about you
as a company. Do you care for your products, your consumers or both? Obviously, every
professional should be endeavouring to fulfill the latter. You want to have packaging solutions that
lend your products the greatest level of protection and are as simple to deal with for the customer
as possible.

It’s about striking the balance between aspects of visual appearance, practicality and performance of your packaging. You want your packages to look professional before being opened - so that rules out oversized boxes for smaller items. You also want the void fill you use to be easy to dispose of - so certain types of loosefill
might not be desirable. All the while, you need to be sure you don’t compromise on the protection
of your products.

Some large high-end retailers have got this down, making use of bespoke packaging solutions fit for
each of their products separately. However, this style of packaging can be expensive and simply isn’t
sustainable for smaller retailers and those who have a large range of products to ship.

Ensure that your packaging is easily disposed of
Perhaps one of the most important issues when it comes to desirability of packaging is being able
to get rid of the packaging. It may seem a small price to pay for enhanced protection, but the truth
is that excess packaging can frustrate consumers. This may have a negative knock-on effect to how
they feel when they first view the product.
When you reduce the amount of different materials you use in your packaging your benefit the
customer in a number of ways. It cuts waste, meaning they are unlikely to be forced to expend
precious energy trying to dispose of it. It also increases the likelihood of them recycling it. With less
material they are more likely to know whether or not it is recyclable - which brings us to the next
point...

Recyclable material is desirable but information is needed
Many of us will attest to having used the line “can this be recycled?” every once in awhile, because
of the heightened awareness of sustainability issues among consumers, there is something of an
expectation surrounding recyclable materials. Couple this with retailers’ regulations and it’s highly
likely that a great deal of the packaging you use will need to be recyclable.
However, consumers are often unaware of what is and what isn’t recyclable. At this point they will
normally resort to not recycling at all. So be sure to include clear information on what is and isn’t
recyclable in your packages - especially those with a selection of materials.

Swiftpak is a wholesale packaging supplier to the trade we have over 30 ears experience in choosing the right packaging supplies for your needs so dont hesitate to get in touch if you have any questions or need any advice.