How Brands Can Improve Packaging Designs in Times of COVID?

Factors That Will Affect Pandemic Packaging Design

Despite the global crisis and economic slowdown, product packaging will always be in demand. Pharmaceuticals and FMCG businesses are relatively less affected

[1]. In such times, delivery services are now indispensable

[2]. However, there will be changes when it comes to packaging design. Even after the pandemic fades, the consumer and the entire supply chain will need to be careful about purchasing and shipping products.

One of the reasons the virus is so contagious is how long it can survive on certain surfaces. A study published in The Lancet shows that the virus can remain active for days on wood, plastic, glass or metal surfaces and even surgical masks. These factors should be taken into account when designing new packaging for products.

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Top 4 Factors That Will Lead to the Development of Packaging Design

1. Demand for Hygienic and Safe Package Designs

Consumers and retailers are now taking hygiene more seriously than ever, and product packaging design is a big part of that equation. Although the virus is highly contagious, it is still sensitive to common disinfection methods or high temperatures. People now wash down product packaging after purchase, retailers sterilize warehouses, and E-commerce platforms now offer options for contactless deliveries.

The solution to this particular problem lies in increasing the barrier protection in the packaging. Brands such as Unilever and P&G are already using coatings as a barrier to protect perishable products inside the packaging. Maybe it's time for the packaging community to go a step further and integrate more advanced barrier technologies, such as the "permanent antimicrobial coating of surfaces", one produced by a brand called NanoCare. Eco-friendly Food Grade barrier coatings also include pizza boxes, hamburger boxes, food trays, etc. It should be an integral part of all food delivery packaging.

2. Contacting E-commerce Transition and Free Deliveries

With the crash, more and more people are shopping from online retailers. Many consumers who used to shop in local stores are now forced to shop online. Also, many e-commerce platforms partner with local stores to deliver their products home. This trend will continue even after the lockdown is lifted, as most people will want to shop from the comfort of their home. Previously, product packaging was designed to stand out on store shelves. But now they need to be designed for visibility across websites and apps.

For example, an edge Harpic achieved due to color blocking on shelves may not be as useful when it comes to selling on the BigBasket. The premium skins Parle’sMilano uses to attract customers to buy the product off the shelves may not be as effective on Amazon for consumers browsing the catalog. However, this will pave the way for new players and new ways to innovate to appeal to the online audience. Communicating the brand story synergistically with packaging using visual elements will be the new norm of selling on Amazon, Flipkart and Grofers. Packaging formats must also be adapted to the dynamic e-commerce supply chain.

Behavior will vary greatly. For example, healthy eating will attract more attention, people are expected to continue cooking at home. People will still stock up on snacks and ready-to-cook meals. This article by Forbes offers a strong argument that Consumers Want Healthy Foods and Will Pay More for Them.

Customized and premium packaging designed to create an unboxing experience is one of the trends to focus on, as can be confirmed by the huge surge of online unboxing videos and social media-ready products only. Many independent companies take advantage of this fact and reach consumers with the promise of not only a product but also a lifestyle. Unboxing videos can gather a lot of publicity for brands, whether it's a fancy cosmetic box or the cool new Bose headphones.

The transition from store shelves to e-commerce platforms provides a perspective for customer service on a much more personal level. E-commerce packaging experience, personalization in printing and branding, thank you cards, special notes, authenticity certificates, stickers, promotions and business cards, etc. It's the perfect backdrop to integrate technology-based user experience points, like using AR or VR to promote products, provide personalized discounts, and engage consumers through simple things like recipes.

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The transition to e-commerce also means that people will prefer contactless deliveries. This is especially true for food deliveries. The package is left out and the buyer is notified. Packaging design improvements can make it easier to minimize contact between the delivery agent and the buyer. Using technologies such as digital interaction through QR codes and physical packages will become very important. It will be necessary to communicate with the end customer through the infographic on the packaging. Mobstac is a pioneer in this field, working with players like Nestle.

The novelty can also be seen in items such as delivery bags. Delivery boxes / bags are somehow the secondary / tertiary packaging of the product as most of the products are delivered to homes. For example: UV sterilization in all delivery bags for sanitation, cold / ice-friendly bags for deliveries of fresh meat, vegetables and alcohol, heat-sealed bags for the likes of Swiggy.

3. Localized Supply Chain and Local Consumption

With the Prime Minister taking root Indian products and services with #BeVocalForLocal, we are seeing a huge shift in consumers who buy products associated with their roots and packaging that must reflect the same. Even new-era brands like Epigamia have found innovative Indian flavors like "mishti doi" and use ghee in their chocolate! This is pretty bold. Used by some multinational companies to feed generic products for decades, Indian products have been underestimated for ages. Consumers are gradually realizing this, and this change is visible to more and more consumers who prefer locally grown and produced products that use oils like coconut, peanut and mustard instead of refined oils. This should also be reflected in the packaging boldly.

We recently designed packaging for the team at BabyChakra. In the first briefing, the team highlighted how their products are not only made from safe materials, but also for Indian parents and their children.

On the other hand, localized production will push the Indian packaging production ecosystem to innovate and upgrade packaging and printing technologies to meet the expectations of brands.

4. A New Hope for Sustainability

Brands have already been putting a lot of effort into packaging sustainable and moving away from plastic. Now, due to the pandemic, it is predicted that large volumes of sales will pass through e-commerce or home delivery.

People will avoid going to supermarkets and this offers FMCG companies the opportunity to optimize the amount of material used in the packaging. This white paper by the American Institute for Packaging and the Environment talks about Optimizing Packaging for the Ecommerce World

Packaging Design for a Post-COVID World

The global pandemic brings new challenges to the packaging industry. This is an issue that both new and existing brands should consider when designing packages. However, as the design process has now become digital, it has now become easier to collaborate on them.

1. Post-Lock Consumer Behavior

After the lockdown, consumer behavior will change drastically. For example, healthy eating will attract more attention, people are expected to continue cooking at home. People will still stock up on snacks and ready-to-cook meals. This article by Forbes offers a strong argument that Consumers Want Healthy Foods and Will Pay More for Them.

With online collaborative design tools for product packaging, product launch becomes much faster. This means shorter time to market and increased chances of a successful product launch.

3. Collaborative Design with Social Distancing

Packaging design is a joint activity with multiple stakeholders. Given the new social distance rules, nearly all organizations encourage working from home. With increasing digitalization, packaging design can be done efficiently from home. As Thecustompackagingboxes , we provide the tools and services necessary for brands to design their packaging even while working from home. We provide design research to go to market support with collaborative online tools to manage the project in a streamlined and efficient manner.

Cloud-based SaaS platforms such as Artwork Flow by Thecustompackagingboxes can help delegate tasks among stakeholders, allowing you to manage your creative artwork (packaging / print poses / digital creatives) with workflows, allowing the manager to set roles and deadlines. This allows the artwork to be developed and proven much faster.

Conclusion

Although the global epidemic and economic crisis caused consumers to spend less, the packaging industry is developing. It brought new challenges that the packaging industry was unprepared for.

However, it can still be solved by efficiently digitizing the supply chain. When it comes to packaging design, Thecustompackagingboxes has not only an experienced design team but also the tools and tools needed to collaborate effectively while working remotely.

For more information visit our website Thecustompackagingboxes.com