Consumer product packaging trends show increasing pushback on packaging. Whenever I say we make wrapping machinery for consumer products, I get immediate feedback from frustrated consumers.  Usually they launch into packaging they hate such as clamshells, but sometimes they extend it to all packaging as a complete waste designed to frustrate consumers, create waste and promote the brand.

As a consumer myself, I share these concerns. But as someone in the packaging industry, I also recognize the items that consumers take for granted: product protection, safety, information are important and often required. Industry trends show that brand owners are looking to address consumer concerns.

Most consumers have moved up Maslow’s hierarchy of needs past product protection and safety, which they take for granted, to the opening, closing and disposal of packaging.  The problem is that manufacturers have not. They still need to insure that the product reaches the consumer intact, conveys required information and is visible on the shelf.  They also need to protect against the unmentionable issue – inventory shrinkage – caused by theft or product damage. Clamshells protect products extremely well and,  by making products bulky, make them harder to steal, just as surely as they  frustrate legitimate buyers in accessing the product they bought.

Recently Packaging Digest had an article entitled Frustration Tops List of Packaging Concerns, in which consumers expressed their concerns about packaging. Over-packaging and difficulty in opening are at the top of the list. The issues were to be presented at Europen’s January conference. We can expect that what happens in Europe will spill over into North America, if only because so many brand owners are global.

There is not a manufacturer out there who is not looking at packaging reduction, while weighing the tradeoff between safety and shrinkage in the process.

At Package Machinery we frequently analyze consumer product packaging trends and have had some success with customers using our overwrappers as bundlers to reduce intermediate packaging, and to replace shrink wrappers as a way to reduce energy consumption. When it comes to ease of opening, we see overwrapping as easier to open than most wrapping methods. Teartape provides an easy-open option.

Call us at +1-413-732-4000 x110 to discuss how we can help you with your packaging issues.