The industry of food and beverage packaging design evolves and improves every single day, driven by technological advancements and the ever-changing preferences of modern consumers. The packaging landscape is gearing up for yet another significant transformation this year. It is more critical than ever for companies and firms to stay on top of these developments to thrive and succeed in the cutthroat and fiercely competitive market.
This article explores food and beverage packaging design trends for companies and firms right now:
Table of Contents
Food and beverage packaging design trends for companies and firms
Adoption of digital print
Digital finishing and print continue reshaping food and beverage packaging design services as they revolutionize packaging production. An increasing number of brands have now opted to use digital print from the beginning because of its top-notch print quality and indisputable advantages to the supply chain. These benefits include flexible quantities of orders, reduced waste, and faster lead time, which are challenging to deliver for traditional methods of production with a similar agility level.
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More and more brands are expected to take advantage of web-to-print, digital print, and other digital tools to improve their strategy for custom packaging sourcing. Brands with an established presence in retail avenues that help boost brand identity and awareness are expected to switch to digital print if they haven’t done so yet. In a modern market crowded with products, quick-to-market and stunning packaging can be inexpensively customized to a particular audience to help brands stay ahead of their competition. In such cases, digital print is the perfect solution.
Packaging makers continue investing resources in digital finishing and print. Those who lack financial means outsource new concept design & product development services to cater to the growing demand. It strongly indicates that digital print is expected to continue dominating the market soon.
E-commerce-first approach
Most brands today are born online, catering to e-commerce customers right from the get-go. For this reason, e-commerce packaging shouldn’t be a mere add-on afterthought. Instead, it should be the first format that any brand that wishes to succeed online must develop. Online shopping is projected to continue driving demand for specialized solutions for e-commerce packaging, which include poly bags, custom inserts, custom mailers, various void fill solutions, and more. A big chunk of retail purchases are anticipated to happen online. Since consumers have gotten used to shopping without stepping outside their houses, it is expected to be the new normal soon.
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Handling of returns is among the most critical aspects of e-commerce. As an important facet of the online shopping experience, online brands must also consider returns as a great opportunity. Formats of e-commerce shipping boxes that simplify the return process for consumers, particularly for apparel items and fashion design companies, can help improve customer loyalty and satisfaction. Online shoppers will favor brands that adopt a robust strategy for e-commerce packaging.
Consumer-centric packaging design
Before you start designing your food and beverage packaging, you must truly understand what your target audience is looking for. Do you need to consider some distinct visual cues? What are the most appealing colorways for your consumers? Should you follow an instructional or informational route for your packaging? These questions can help you understand the best design that will connect the most with your target audience. Solid insight and knowledge of consumers can help you produce some of the finest design work.
Blindly following trends, hoping that something will stick, will only put you at risk of getting lost in the crowd or not even connecting with the target audience. Make sure you do your research first, though, to understand who you are making the design for. Using this information will help the packaging concept design firm create packaging that will resonate with consumers.
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Unique shapes to the rescue
Packaging with customized shapes is expected to become a powerful tool for making your brand easily recognizable and different from others in the market. Distinct geometric shapes, eye-catching patterns, and intricate cut-outs on labels are and will continue to capture consumers’ interest and attention. Remember that attention is the newest currency. If your brand recognizes this, you should invest more in packaging that will make your products stand out even on overcrowded offline and online shelves.
However, there is more to the trend of packaging with unique shapes than aesthetics alone. It also serves as a tangible way of conveying the values and identity of your brand. It’s not just about vivid colors or compelling typography. Brands should use the packaging itself to tell a unique story. While other brands use fonts and colors to stand out, packaging designers using shapes as decorative elements are guaranteed to create longer-lasting and stronger impressions compared to their direct competitors.
Go eco-friendly
Most consumers today prefer brands that advocate sustainability. As a result, companies and firms are under increasing pressure to cater to this, which explains the traction of so-called green packaging. However, only a small percentage of consumers shop from such brands. Although eco-friendly product packaging is popular, it might not always be realistic. Even with broadcasted media’s prevalent environmental awareness, such as Blue Planet, many people still don’t actively contribute to reducing their carbon footprint.
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However, it’s expected that consumers will continue to have new expectations when it comes to packaging. Consumers just feel that they can’t act as eco-friendly as they like to because the best practices leave them baffled. It’s important to consider how to simplify and clarify recycling communications as much as possible. Some brands, for example, are using color-coded packaging that aligns with the designated recycling bins to reduce consumers’ cognitive effort.
Eco-friendly and consumer-first packaging might not overlap easily in terms of design. An excessive focus on consumers may lead to ego-driven design briefs. On the other hand, consumers might feel alienated if the design focuses more on the environment. To prevent these issues, consumer research is critical. Solid research will help you achieve the right balance and develop a packaging design that is environmentally conscious and appeals to your target market.
AI-aided packaging design
The past year has seen the undeniable impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in almost all industries. In the food and beverage packaging design industry, AI is also making significant changes in the design process as designs aided by AI technology continue to rise. With AI tools now easily incorporated into professional software platforms, they are expected to be used further by structural and graphic designers to offer more efficient means of refining and ideating packaging concepts. This will also pave the way for the creation of production-ready graphics.
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In the next years, AI will revolutionize not just packaging design but also other areas of packaging management, including automation, supply chain management, and manufacturing. AI may soon be used to manage inventory levels, cut down shipping costs, estimate demand, and search for ways to streamline different business operations. Food and beverage brands embracing the use of AI tools are poised to perform better than those that don’t.
Immersive experience
Offering immersive experiences for customers through packaging now significantly impacts overall brand experiences. The next few years will likely witness the combination of packaging and technology quickly gaining momentum. NFC tags, QR codes, and the services of augmented reality experts are becoming increasingly popular in interactive packaging. Scanning these allows consumers to access brand-exclusive offers, special promotions, or additional information. Aside from creating a more memorable and engaging consumer experience, it also helps differentiate your brand from the rest.
Packaging designs will eventually be seen as purely existing in the digital sphere. The designs might be exclusively featured online to lure buyers to make a purchase. After ordering the product, it will then arrive inside a standardized cardboard box. This is an innovative means to strike the right balance between making a visual impact that doesn’t compromise sustainability. As overconsumption becomes a serious issue, your brand will surely stand out more if you show a proactive approach that doesn’t jeopardize product experience or quality.
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Sustainable materials
Sustainable materials are now a central point in the packaging industry, and the trend is expected to grow further in the coming years. As consumers become increasingly aware of the impact of packaging on the planet, demand for environmentally friendly packaging solutions will continue to rise. These solutions are made from recycled materials and are compostable and biodegradable.
Recent years have witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of companies and firms that embrace sustainable initiatives, and the trend will gain further traction in the coming years. Companies now recognize the essence of aligning with eco-conscious consumers as they define their ESG goals and work to cut down their carbon emissions to support the United Nations’ sustainable development goals.
How Cad Crowd can help
Keeping up with the food and beverage packaging design trends for companies and firms is the secret to selling more products, satisfying customers, and increasing market share. Cad Crowd can connect you with the best packaging designers who will help you stay ahead of your competition.
