Consumer friendly packaging

Almost everything is packaged – for good reason! Most of what we buy would simply be damaged, broken or spoiled without packaging.
But what characterises good, consumer-friendly packaging? First of all, the packaging should be appropriate for the contents. Furthermore, it must be easy to open and, in the best case, resealable.

Nothing is more annoying than to open a packet of muesli and find that it contains almost nothing but air, or that the safety closures on cleaning products and medicines are difficult to open. This is particularly difficult for older people. Their needs are often not taken into account in packaging design.
Packaging can therefore quickly lead to frustration, whether through false product promises or complicated handling. Although design plays an important role in the purchase process, handling is clearly the most important factor for the customer.

Cheat pack of the year

When the packaging makes false product promises, it is anything but consumer-friendly. Products in large packaging sometimes mislead the consumer into believing that they contain a large quantity. The same packaging size with less content is also a popular trick to increase the price of supermarket products unnoticed. However, such “cheat packs” do not go down well with consumers.
Based on information from disgruntled consumers and its own research, the Consumer Advice Centre Hamburg compiles a so-called list of cheat packs. In order to inform consumers about the manufacturers’ scams, a “cheat pack of the month” is regularly put in the spotlight, as well as an “annual best list”.
At the end of January, the results of the online vote for the “Cheat Pack 2018” were published. For this, the consumer advice centre selected 5 products from more than 2,000 tips. Almost 40,000 consumers took part in the vote and the result was clear with 58.7 %.

According to the consumer advice centre in Hamburg, it is not only the consumer deception that stands out negatively in the case of Lorenz Snack-World’s crisps. In times when the rethinking of environmentally friendly packaging has long since begun, unnecessary plastic waste is also produced: The crisps tin contains a plastic tray wrapped in freshness foil.

German Packaging Award

Quite the opposite of “cheat packs”, the German Packaging Award presents the best packaging of the year in different categories:

• Design and refinement
• Functionality and convenience
• Presentation of goods
• Sustainability
• Safety
• Logistics and material flow
• New material
• Packaging machines
• Young talent (pupils, trainees, students)

In the past year 2018, 40 packages were honoured in this context. From the point of view of consumer-friendly packaging, a special product experience and sustainability, we would like to introduce you to some of the award winners.

Functionality and convenience

After the purchase, the handling of the packaging has the greatest importance for the buyer. The Italian company Smilesys specialises in resealable packaging. With Smilesys Drop&Taste, a packaging for buffalo mozzarella was developed:

The foil lid can be conveniently pulled off and initially exposes holes through which the contained liquid can be conveniently poured off. If the foil lid is now pulled open further, a larger opening is revealed through which the mozzarella balls can be removed. If the cheese is not completely used up, the lid can be resealed and continues to protect the product.

In addition to consumer-friendly handling, the packaging also focuses on sustainability. According to the company, the lack of a plastic lid saves 80% of the material used in comparable packaging.
You can see exactly how this works in the video:

Sustainability

A lot of plastic is still used for food packaging for hygiene reasons. However, consumers are increasingly focusing on plastic-free packaging. Plastic is mostly composite material, separation is almost impossible and makes recycling plastic a big challenge.

Mondi has developed “barrierpack recyclable”, a fully recyclable plastic composite film. The packaging solution is ideal for different packaging formats and can be used in a variety of ways.

The German company Kneipp also attracted attention with a lip care product. In addition to plastic, the packaging contains the natural product cork. Cork is a renewable raw material source and can be classified as CO2-neutral. Wine corks were recycled for the lip balm.
The outer packaging made of grass cardboard underlines the environmental concept. Overall, the brand conveys the image of closeness to nature.

Young talent

The award winners among the pupils, trainees and students are very close to the market. The focus is clearly on consumer benefits and sustainable packaging. With Pasta Hunger, ribbon noodles can be easily portioned out of the packaging. Shakyloop is a colourful wristband filled with snacks for on-the-go. Fold Me, Pull Me, Squeeze Me Tea turns the tea bag packaging into a tea bag squeezer in no time at all to squeeze out the bag after infusion.

And The ShellBox is a product packaging for pistachios. The packaging is designed in such a way that a waste container for the shells is integrated. It is also resealable and completely compostable with the shell waste. Thus, the packaging offers an environmentally friendly alternative to conventional plastic bags.

More than just packaging

If you compare cheat packs with the winners of the packaging award, one thing quickly becomes clear: not all packaging is the same!

Environmentally friendly and consumer-friendly packaging is enjoying increasing popularity and acceptance: the packaging is given an additional function that makes it easier for the consumer to handle the product. In addition, the life cycle of the packaging is extended in the process. The use of recyclable materials conserves resources and thus protects the environment.

The topic of environmental protection and sustainable packaging sustainable packaging is of particular concern to us. If you also need support with environmentally friendly packaging, we will be happy to advise you with individual solutions.