For brands to create the most appealing Custom Packaging, they must stay on top of future trends. Seeing what lies around the corner means companies can stay ahead of the competition and demonstrate their thought leadership. Fortunately, branding experts have already done some of that forecasting and came up with a few predictions about what will be hot in the coming years. Read on to learn more about the packaging outlook and what's fueling it:
Nostalgia
The report "The Future of Packaging Design: Long-Term Strategic Forecasts to 2026" from Smithers Pira noted that as nostalgia continuously grows as a consumer trend, it will no doubt influence the future of packaging designs.
According to Millennial Marketing, the 18-to-30-year-old age group has grown up amid the rapid development of technology, as devices they played with as kids are now vintage. Simpler times don't seem so long ago, which has this generation often reflecting on its childhood. Plus, a fickle outlook on the future fueled by witnessing serious economic challenges has only accelerated this feeling of nostalgia.
Brands continuously take advantage of this mindset, and Packaging Design must be ready to also leverage millennials' obsessions with the 1990s. For instance, companies should consider channeling themes from this decade's most popular brands, such cartoons from Nickelodeon or artwork reminiscent of Lisa Frank.
Sustainability
Conservation gains importance as populations grow and resources dwindle, and brands would do well to incorporate sustainability in Packaging Design. Not only does it allow businesses to reduce their carbon footprint, but this effort appeals to increasingly environmentally conscious consumers.
One way to stay on top of this trend is to utilize recyclable materials in packaging. A Technavio report found that the recyclable materials market will increase at a compound annual growth rate of 7 percent over the next four years. This includes resources such as paper, metal, glass and plastic. According to the report, the health care and personal care industries are in an especially prime position to take advantage of this trend.
Personalization
Speaking with Packaging Digest, David Luttenberger, packaging director at the marketing group Mintel, noted that personalization will have a growing impact on Packaging Design.
"There's a parallel path between brands striving to engage customers on a more personal level and consumers' expectations for packaging to deliver that experience," Luttenberger said.
To effectively leverage personalization in product packaging, though, companies need a full-service Packaging Solutions provider with appropriate technological services. The partner must be able to deliver personalized packaging while still remaining efficiency.
Clean labels
Nutraceutical market consumers demand transparency and natural ingredients, and companies in this industry can meet this request through Packaging Design. Of course, this starts with the product, as a label can't be clean for a supplement containing all sorts of unrecognizable chemicals. However, once the item is adjusted for this purpose, the label should make consumers aware of this change.
According to Nutraceuticals World, this goes beyond the nutritional facts. Shoppers also want to see that company operations are sustainable and follow strict guidelines. Labels should convey this information.
