Round pegs, square holes: Crown redesigns round-to-square tin for luxury differentiation

25 Apr 2019 --- Crown has launched a 100mm round-to-square metal container for the global luxury packaging market. Previously launched in a taller size specifically for the wine and spirits market, the shorter format opens up the use of this distinctive package to markets such as confectionery, cookies, tea and cosmetics. Square at the bottom, the tin tapers into a round opening at the top, providing strong differentiation that enables products to stand out in the busy retail environment. The flush lid is designed to further enhance the modern shape.

The global luxury packaging market is growing at a rapid pace and packaging plays a vital role in product differentiation. According to research conducted by UK packaging expert Neil Farmer, the global luxury packaging market will be worth US$19.8 billion in 2022, with an annual average growth rate of 4.9 percent per annum over the same time span. Meanwhile, the global consumer goods packaging market will be worth US$530 billion in 2022, growing at an annual average rate of 3.05 percent per annum from its current level of US$470 billion.

Crown claims that metal packaging, with its ability to promote a feeling of premium quality and refinement, is a critical component of the go-to-market strategy of many luxury brands ranging from confectionery to coffee and tea.

The uniqueness of the round-to-square container makes it suitable as a collectible item. Furthermore, a wide variety of finishes, inks, varnishes and effects are available, from crackle, matt and gloss to soft touch, perforations and detailed embossing.

“We have a dedicated in-house graphic design team who can work with customers to create and/or develop the customer designs to really work with the unique substrate and shape of the tin,” Sarah D’Amato, NPD & Marketing Services Manager, Crown, tells PackagingInsights. “Our design team offers everything from packaging design and artwork services to proofing and specialist advice on materials, colors, effects and samples.”

On the sustainability front, the tin offers all the benefits that come with being made from a 100 percent and infinitely recyclable material. Unlike most other packaging materials, metal can be recycled with no loss of physical properties.

“Metal packaging is part of a truly circular economy – incredibly, between 80 percent and 90 percent of all steel ever produced is still in use today,” D’Amato notes. “A metal container recycled today could be available on a retail platform in a similar form in a short time, although it is highly likely that once bought, the round-to-square tins will remain with the purchaser for some considerable time thereafter.”

According to Metal Packaging Europe, 74.7 percent of metal packaging is recycled in Europe, making it the most recycled packaging on the continent.

The design of a round-to-square metal container has obvious challenges. D’Amato explains that because the tin has different shapes at the top (round) and the bottom (square), the technical difficulty was in ensuring that the side seam and the print were properly positioned during the shaping process.

“Our in-house technical design team developed the tooling and identified additional equipment required to ensure correct orientation during manufacture,” she says.

Suitable across a wide range of markets, the 100mm round-to-square metal container is available worldwide.

By Joshua Poole