Packaging Market Research

Researching the 10 last seconds before the purchase

In the last 10 seconds before a product purchase, packaging is one of the most important influencing factors. Consumers distinguish between similar products, and differentiate by perceived benefits and perceived risk. Packaging weighs heavily in this purchasing decision. Beyond this, packaging fulfills other objectives like strengthening expensive corporate communications and brand messaging.

Major considerations facing packaging executives today are rising material and energy costs, sustainable packaging and market development. Marketers need insight-driven market research on the effectiveness, consistency, cost efficiency and direction of their product packaging. SIS International fulfills those needs with robust global packaging market research solutions.

Our Approach

As part of the SIS Integrated Research approach, SIS conducts several layers of research on customers and relevant market stakeholders. We illustrate to companies how their packaging impacts the consumers’ purchasing. The final research outcome is an actionable analysis. It answers how our clients can adapt their packaging to win their customers’ admiration during the product purchasing and simultaneously maintain a consistent corporate messaging.

Packaging “Big Ideas”

Past market research on good packaging illustrates several findings. First, good packaging reflects the conditions in which it will be sold. It means that fast food restaurants and beverage containers are creating packaging that reflects the customers’ purchasing and usage of the product. For example, V8 made their packaging fit into vending machines. On this note, effective packaging must reflect product benefits. For example, McDonalds is emphasizing food quality now with boxes emphasizing how high quality the food is.

Secondly, unique shapes, structures and delivery systems help differentiate products from competitors. With many products on the shelf, products benefit when they stick out to consumers. The reason is that research has found that good packaging contributes to convenience, which improves customer satisfaction. It also breaks notions of how much customers are willing to pay. An example is “Simple Orange” juice presented in a carafe bottle, generating a premium price. Another example is Imperial Sugar Company’s “Redi-Measure” brown sugar cup-packets, intended to make measuring easier and to prevent their customers from baking too much or too little ingredients in the baking process.

Thirdly, packaging should include the brand’s personality with branding and characters. An example of this is Toucan Sam, which immediately indicates product benefits like Fruit Flavor and fun times. This brand heuristic helps invoke the emotional component in purchasing, and subordinates the rational price considerations in purchasing.

Customers desire simplicity in messaging due to many conflicting messages, competing products like private labels, and complicated products. Good packaging often reflects simple brand values and product claims. A way to do this is to remove much of the clutter and only print what is essential. As such it should easy to read and not confusing. Research indicates that customers are increasingly noticing more scientific claims written on the packaging and that this confuses customers. Also companies can return to past successful taglines, to help the customer strengthen their buying heuristics.

Fourth, good packaging highlights compelling and believable claims on product differences. An example is of some cereals claiming to use organic ingredients and no preservatives, unlike competing products. This can help justify a premium price and draws attention to products. Fifth, direct comparisons to a competitor product can be effective. For example, a cereal can say that it has 50% more milk than another product. Price is not the best differentiating characteristic.

Sixth, packaging is read not up and down, but at the left and right corners of packaging. Thus, reassuring claims benefit by being placed in these corners, while primary claims benefit by being in the center of packaging. Along these lines, fewer words are better, as consumers tend to look at images and visuals instead of evaluating written claims.

Lastly, consumers are increasingly concerned about sustainable packaging. The key sustainability factors on the minds of packaging executives until 2012 involve (in order of importance) increasing energy and material costs, market share development, market creation, environmental & economic issues, and corporate sustainability initiatives.

SIS International Research, Inc. makes no representations about the accuracy or completeness of the information provided in the article above. Users who base investment, strategic or marketing decisions on the information contained in our reports do so at their own risk. By reading this article, viewers agree to this site’s privacy policy. Contact SIS International for custom packaging market research.

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