Packaging Insights

Sustainability is at the forefront of our mind sets right now with packaging now just as important as the product it contains. Business leaders are leading the way with innovative packaging in order to keep up with consumer needs and wants. Over the last few years there has been a rise in sustainable values, increasing demand for more sensorial interactive packs, and storytelling that starts from the minute your purchase hits your hand.

With the new plastic packaging tax coming into effect from April 2022, now is the time to look at your options and how you can evolve your packaging. The tax will apply to UK manufacturers and importers of plastic packaging containing less than 30% recycled material.

Sustainable packaging is important because it reduces the ecological footprint of all the stages in the products lifecycle. It helps both the producer and the consumer reduce their environmental impact. Being experts in our field, we understand the wants of your consumer and their needs.

Here we explore the cross-industry concepts that will elevate your packaging by looking at the different ways you can use packaging:

To counteract the perception of packaging as a throwaway piece, brands are using it to tell stories in interesting ways; another layer of product narrative. As a result, boxes and sleeves become a part of the product itself, creating more emotional, engaging connections between consumer and the item.

Products that are designed to inspire new rituals or encourage consumers to engage with them in different ways are bolstered by instructive, helpful and directive packaging. Elsewhere, our digital interactions drive new user experiences, and unexpected sensory cues surprise and delight.

More than 80% of UK consumers said they consider environmentally friendly packaging, inspiriting a new driver for refillable packaging, keepsakes and collectible heirloom pieces. Packaging is cherished as much as products, with beautiful, purposeful designs taking centre stage.

In times of crisis, or for those with disabilities, brands can use packaging to uplift, calm and help. Even the smallest tweaks, like encouraging mindfulness, or projecting positive mantras will emotionally connect consumer to brand.

It is important for brands to be more engaged with how digital technology should shape their physical packaging for younger consumers. 52% of 21 to 36-year-olds say that it is important that product packaging looks good in the pictures they post on social media, with 29% saying it’s ‘extremely important’.

New technology is allowing brands to imbue their packaging with sensorially – consider how texture, sounds, smell and even taste could bring your product, branding and stories to life. We are 100 times more likely to remember something we smell over something we see, hear or touch.

No matter, how engaging, inspiriting or helpful your packaging is, it has to be grounded in renewability and sustainability. As an indication of how important this point is, 71% of global consumers consider it ‘quite’ or ‘extremely’ important for product packaging to be made from sustainable or renewable sources.

Sustainability is at the heart of what we do here at Blake, and we are constantly creating and evolving to stay ahead of the times. We create the packaging experience that speaks to your customers on their level. Blake can help you make the switch and upgrade your packaging to make sustainability become deeply embedded in the development process all your packaging.