Beauty and personal care packaging: Trend forecasts, sustainability and innovations by Albéa, Amcor and SPG

20 Mar 2024 --- Packaging is pivotal in product perception, functionality and sustainability in the dynamic world of beauty and personal care. By exploring insights from industry leaders, we uncover the latest trends, innovative solutions and sustainability initiatives driving this evolving sector.

Loretta Riché, marketing manager at Albéa Cosmetics & Fragrance, shares emerging trends, including conscious beauty, premiumization and personalization.

Riché affirms consumers increasingly prioritize sustainable packaging alongside clean formulations. Additionally, luxurious packaging is evolving into collectible objects, blending design aesthetics with sustainability efforts. “Packaging has now become an important concern,” she emphasizes. 

Meanwhile, Laetitia Sanchez, marketing director at Amcor Flexibles Latin America, highlights prominent trends observed in Latin America, including refill and reuse models, PCR content, recyclable and compostable materials, and “minimalistic and transparent” concepts. 

“Beyond the package, consumers are looking for new experiences and smart features,” she continues. “Tactile experiences through textures, unique finishes and unusual shapes are used to create more engaging and memorable brand interactions.” 

“Also, the packaging integrates QR codes and augmented reality experiences to provide additional product information, interactive tutorials and brand-immersive content.”

SP Group (SPG) echoes these sentiments, with a spokesperson telling Packaging Insights that a common goal of all its clients in packaging, regardless of the operating market, is to achieve “maximum sustainability,” as by 2030, there is a need for all packaging to be 100% recyclable. 

“That’s why the predominant trend is to develop sustainable materials with designs based on efficiency and waste reduction. It’s also important that packaging becomes increasingly lighter and more compact, making it easy to transport. Not forgetting the importance of attractive design for the end consumer.”

Evolution of the market
Over the past five years, the beauty and personal care packaging market has undergone significant transformations, the three experts unanimously agree. 

“Consumers seek packaging that protects the products, reflects the brand’s identity, and provides a unique sensory experience. Customization and innovation in packaging design have also been significant trends in recent years,” the SPG spokesperson tells us.

Refillable, recyclable and PCR content use is championed by Albéa as responsible packaging. “Brands are seeking ways to differentiate themselves in the market by using advanced printing and design technologies to create unique and attractive packaging that resonates with their customers,” they add. 

“That’s why digital printing is the key printing method for developing this customization, thanks to the possibility of short runs providing companies with a range of customization for their customers.”

Riché at Albéa elucidates that packaging has become more “creative and original.” 

“The products are more linked to customers’ needs and expectations to be more inclusive, more personalized and to address all kinds of consumers whatever their needs or habits,” she says.

“The need for more responsible products will predominantly impact the market. This means a major acceleration on more responsible packaging (refillable, recyclable and the incorporation of PCR).”

Furthermore, Amcor’s marketing director for the Latin American market says beauty and personal care packaging is “evolving rapidly,” driven by a strong focus on sustainability, changing consumer preferences, e-commerce growth and a desire for innovative and engaging packaging experiences. 

Elevated packaging designs
Creative packaging design elevates brand perception and consumer engagement. Riché highlights Albéa’s Twirl as an “intuitive,” refillable jar with a “stylish design,” meeting both practical and aesthetic needs. “Being more responsible doesn’t mean making compromises on the aesthetics,” Riché tells Packaging Insights.

Furthermore, Sanchez discusses Amcor’s range of sensory packaging solutions, incorporating innovative finishes to create memorable brand experiences. “Creative packaging design can be a powerful tool for brands in the beauty and personal care industry, not only for product differentiation but also for enhancing brand perception and telling a unique story.” 

“Our innovative finishes, from holographic to soft touch textures, capture attention and create a memorable first impression, stand out in a crowded aisle and engage consumers on a deeper level. Amcor Amplify helps our customers embody its product’s unique story, whether it’s the refreshing taste, luxurious texture or invigorating scent,” stresses Sanchez.

For SPG, the importance of packaging lies in consumers’ purchasing decisions and consumption experiences, not only because it has become an important marketing tool but also because it is a “unique and customizable advertising element.” 

“Our experience has shown us that there are two determining factors: the printing techniques used and having a wide range of materials or sensory effects,” the SPG spokesperson tells us.

“We have developed packaging that allows easy dosing and application of the product while incorporating unique design elements that reflect the brand’s identity.” 

“From innovative shapes to personalized prints and tactile details, our packaging designs are functional and provide a sensory experience that resonates with consumers.” 

Tailored solutions 
Specialized packaging solutions can address the unique challenges of skin care products. “Skin care products such as creams, facial masks and makeup require special features regardless of the type of packaging being flow wrappers, sachets or stand-up pouches,” explains Amcor’s marketing director.SPG says Stand-up pouches with caps is one of the most demanded formats for gels and shampoos.

“AmPrima Recycle Ready and AmFiber solutions are engineered to provide chemical and puncture resistance while maintaining ease of use. They also provide product appeal, with a broad selection of printing and tactile effects that attract consumers.”

“Focusing on the sachets format, it is possible to highlight on-the-go convenience, lightweight and portable with easy opening access. It also provides an impressive print quality and tailored structure to protect the product inside, even through the magazine distribution channel,” Sanchez details.

The SPG spokesperson underscores that beauty and personal care packaging needs to be designed to address common sector challenges such as contamination and product preservation. 

“At SPG, we have innovative solutions for packaging manufacturing, including Stand-Up pouches with caps, a revolution in providing a more sustainable and practical solution in purchasing gels or shampoos thanks to their use as refills. This is one of the most demanded formats in the sector, as it provides consumers with functionality, ease of transport and ergonomics,” they detail. 

“We also manufacture films that will be used for cosmetic packaging formation. These pouches are widely used in single-dose or small-dose formats for gels, creams, wipes or makeup removers for travel or distribution in hotels, airplanes, etc.”

Lastly, Albéa Cosmetics & Fragrance’s marketing manager says including PCR content in the pack is “a great option to lower the amount of virgin material and keep the aesthetics untouched.” This is attributed to different technologies such as chemical or mechanical PCR.

“Specifically tailored for skin care products, Albéa Pure Drop is a monomaterial dropper for serum and oil applications. Made of PP, the idea is to replace the conventional droppers with a fully recyclable one without compromising aesthetics and ease of use,” Riché highlights.

“Refillable is a good solution to keep the luxury effect while making it more eco-conscious. Consumers will still have beautiful packaging meant to be kept; for example, our Simandre plant is an expert on luxury refillable packaging such as ‘Pure Shot’ from Yves Saint-Laurent.”

“We have a lot of decoration techniques available, such as hot stamping, galvanization, and metallization,” she notes.

By Radhika Sikaria