Fast-food: Ready meals packaging

Indulgence is still key in NPD for alcoholic beverages, as companies continue to offer high-end artisanal and handcrafted liqueurs using seasonal flavors and novel ingredients. Premium offerings are often packaged in glass, which remains the material of choice for alcoholic beverages. There is a rise in alternative packaging formats for traditional categories such as wine, with cans and bag-in-box formats gaining popularity. Innovations in can packaging include the nitro can, which replicates the sensory characteristics of a nitrogenated draught beer for on-the-go consumption, and Carslberg’s snap-pack, which addresses reduction in waste produced from single-use plastic shrink wraps.

Snacks are among the top food categories in terms of high-profit margins. As consumers’ lifestyles turn more hectic traditional meal times have changed and snacking is almost no longer considered optional. Consumers are seeking healthy, indulgent and convenient solutions that fit their busy lifestyles. Plastics continue to account for a big part of the packaging used for snacks. Companies such as Futamura, Parkside Flexibles and TIPA Corp, have developed commercialized compostable packaging materials, to combat the problem of plastic waste. Furthermore, companies are looking to enhance their “sustainability quotient” by switching to recyclable materials such as paper packets and cardboard tubs, in an effort to assuage the concerns of ethically minded consumers.

Festive periods are often filled with celebration, giving brands an excuse to experiment with their packaging design to create a product with a premium positioning. Investing time and money into creative packaging can be an effective way for retailers to stand out from their competitors and, in turn, have a positive impact on sales. With the holiday season just around the corner, several confectionery brands have begun to launch limited edition offerings with a Christmas themed packaging design.

Spreads, sauces and soups are highly susceptible to flavor loss and oxidation which elicits the need for packaging materials that retain the quality and freshness of the product. In order to achieve this, manufacturers are reverting back to glass bottles and jars in lieu of plastic packaging. In the case of soups, the need for greater convenience has prompted manufacturers to move away from cans and adopt plastic alternatives.

Seasonal designs are often released on products across a range of categories. For Halloween products are given a spooky revamp, aiming to turn everyday treats into items worthy of giving consumers the goosebumps. Designs tend to feature orange and black tones, ghostly or zombie-like figures and even glow-in-the-dark effects.