Black Friday: Mondi reveals top five e-commerce consumer trends

25 Nov 2022 --- Mondi has released its fourth annual consumer trend survey on e-commerce, online shopping and consumer attitudes toward packaging. The survey, conducted by RetailX, drew responses from 1,000 consumers each in France, Germany, Poland, Sweden and Turkey. 

The survey also includes the first data on generational differences in online shopping patterns. 

“This research has revealed five macro trends shaping the growing e-commerce packaging market, providing useful insights as we partner with leading retailers to co-create the most sustainable packaging solutions for their needs,” says Mondi Group e-commerce director Nedim Nisic.

The findings show that three-quarters of customers in the five markets shop online at least once a month and spend an average of €12 to €120 (US$124) a month.

Fashion is the strongest product segment, followed by homeware, consumer electronics and beauty products. The survey confirms that across generations and countries, the top drivers for online shopping are lower prices and convenience – specifically saving time and direct delivery to homes.

A majority of consumers rank product protection as the most important consideration for e-commerce packaging.Prioritizing product protection
The first top trend shows 94% of consumers cite the protection of goods as their most important factor, especially when it is a product of value. 

This is followed by ease of closing for returns, which has increased from 74% in 2019 to 88% this year. 

“As customers have seen the growing availability of easy-close packaging, they have also realized how well it fits their needs, both in terms of the convenience of being able to easily reseal without hunting for the packing tape but also the sustainability aspect of reusing packaging,” says Nisic. 

Packaging being environmentally friendly (84%) and easy to dispose of (80%) were the next most important factors.

Last year, paper packaging player DS Smith reported that €1.3 billion (US$1.5 billion) worth of damaged goods would be delivered in Europe alone over the Black Friday weekend, based on past consumer experiences. 

The price of overpackaging 
The second trend highlights that oversized packaging annoys 86% of consumers, up from 79% in 2021, and excess internal packaging annoys 78% of customers. More than two-thirds (67%) of respondents across the five countries said that overpackaging would put customers off buying from the brand. 

“Overpackaging is not sustainable or cost-effective. The research now also shows that it can influence buying decisions, with customers choosing not to support retailers that get it wrong,” says Nisic.

Recently, the European Commission made plans to crack down on excessive packaging in its upcoming revision of the Packaging and Packaging Waste directive. The plans include restricting “empty space” in e-commerce packaging designs. 

The unboxing moment 
Overpackaging is a concern for consumers, with many reporting they are annoyed by excessive material use.The third trend shows that consumers care more than functionality. Awareness of “unboxing” as an experience is rising in many markets, says Mondi. 

In Poland, 32% of consumers had heard of “unboxing” in 2019 compared to 66% this year. In 2021, 46% of those surveyed said that a unique unboxing experience inspired by standout product packaging would convince them to order from the same retailer again. This year that has risen to 78%. 

“The concept of unboxing is more than just a customer unwrapping their order,” says Nisic. “It’s about using the opportunity to give customers a brand experience they will remember for all the right reasons.”

Consumers will pay more 
The fourth trend shows consumers are increasingly willing to pay around €1 extra for packaging that best suits their needs. 

Willingness to pay for best-fit packaging rose from 48% in Poland in 2021 to 81% this year and from 56% in Germany in 2021 to 70% in 2022. Overall in the five markets, 72% of consumers are willing to pay for packaging, with Generation Z (80%) and Millennials (74%) being the most likely to agree.

Innova Market Insights packaging survey this year also found that 20% of consumers are willing to pay more for aesthetically pleasing packaging designs. 

Millennials drive the market
Lastly, Mondi’s survey finds that Millennials are the consumers who are shopping online with the greatest frequency and are the most likely to be buying online at least once a day (8%) and more than once a week (37%). 

They are also spending heavily across sectors, says the company. Millennials’ views are also some of the strongest, with respondents saying they are most likely to rate the various packaging characteristics as being “crucial” to them compared to other generations. 

Moreover, millennials are also the generation with the greatest willingness to pay extra for packaging that suits their needs.

Edited by Louis Gore-Langton