Andrew Streeter said: “Recently there’s been a flurry of established products hitting the shelves in new packaging, addressing consumer concerns about food wastage and its economic and environmental impact.”
Sunsweet Ones from Sunsweet Growers Inc. in the US is a plastic tube containing individually wrapped prunes. The packaging ensures that the prunes don’t stick together and makes it easier to eat one at a time, therefore ensuring they last longer. With many parents looking for healthy but quick snack solutions, the new packaging may make prunes more appealing to shoppers and boost sales.
Heinz beans in the UK had used packaging to give their beans the edge over their competitors. The brand has launched a resalable pack allowing shoppers to keep left-overs in the fridge without having to transfer them into a storage container. The container is marked to show 5 equal portions and also includes meal suggestions. The packaging offers added value as it solves the problem of cash strapped consumers buying ‘own brand’ and often cheaper alternatives as the new container means it’s easier to save the beans.
Mr Streeter added: “Instead of developing new products or new flavours to compete with other brands offering a similar product, manufacturers are starting to exploit the ability of packaging to give added value.
“In the case of prunes, there is often very little to distinguish the different brands so consumers will choose the cheapest brand. However if the packaging can add value by addressing a consumer conern, like in the case of Sunsweet, consumers are more likely to see the point of spending extra and choosing that brand. We believe that manufactures will continue to look to packaging to offer extra functionality and value in order to ensure their brand stands out.” (Datamonitor)
