Do you consider your packaging as part of your product?

Home Articles Do you consider your packaging as part of your product?

Dave Kirby from Switch Packaging offers some insight and advice on the power of packaging. First published in April 2021.

One thing that I love about the packaging industry is that it is always evolving. Recently, packaging is beginning to be considered as a product with its own functions, features, and uses, consequently resulting in becoming a fundamental part of a product.

The power of packaging identity

Digital sales are on the rise meaning packaging is the first physical point of contact consumers have with a brand. So, take advantage of this. Packaging should offer a positive and unique brand experience offering a sense of connection through personalisation, quality and design.

Statistics show every year 95% of new products fail. Robert Lockyer, CEO of Delta Global, says “packaging trumps the gift itself”, and if you consider major brands such as Apple, known for their clean, minimalistic packaging resulting in unboxing videos on social media or Tiffany & Co with their little blue box being more recognisable than the jewellery, you understand where Robert is coming from.

In fact, a sales increase due to packaging has been proven by the beer company Coors, seeing a 5% increase in purchases by changing the can it came in, having a direct impact on the company’s overall appeal.

The power of protecting the environment

Taking packaging to a whole new level is whether the materials used are sustainable. Environmentally friendly packaging has been on the rise since the 1980s and is the longest-standing trend and businesses are taking sustainability a step further in creating a circular economy.

A circular economy involves designing and promoting packaging and how it can be reused, repaired and remanufactured. If your packaging is of higher quality, the more useful it’ll be by the consumer, i.e. the more likely they’ll use it for home storage. You could opt to add value-adding innovations such as embedding seeds between biodegradable materials for the consumer to plant, plant-able tissue paper or zips that double-up as hair ties – improving the quality, functions and supporting the question, is packaging becoming the product.

So, do I agree that packaging should be considered as part of the product?

The simple answer is yes. We have seen first-hand how impactful protective and beautiful packaging design can positively impact brand image and sales, especially when using sustainable materials.

We understand the importance of packaging, especially sustainable packaging. We believe packaging should encompass everything the business stands for by focusing on brand values, purpose, demographics and design.

We believe packaging is becoming more than the product, packaging is becoming an environmentally friendly, recyclable product. Find out more here