Packaging is fully integrate to the luxury shopping experience. Brands pay special attention to this side of their business and packaging manufacturers deploy a wealth of technology and know-how to provide perfect products. Apparently, consumers seem to be well aware of the value of these efforts!

As sustainability issues grow in importance and manufacturers strive to extend the lifespan of packaging, a recent study published by British website Money.co.uk says bags and boxes for such prestigious brands as Rolex, Louis Vuitton and Chanel may be worth a lot more than one can think, with some pieces fetching as much as a hundred euros.

For instance, watch boxes by major brands most certainly have a value. For example, those made by Rolex are worth an average of £160 sterling (around 185 euros). Ranked second, empty boxes by Tag Heuer fetch around £149 (173 euros), while boxes by the Breitling brand, which are placed third in the ranking, usually find buyers for more modest prices in the region of £130 (150 euros).

The attraction of old perfume bottles

Luxury watch items may lead the field, but they are not alone. Bags by the likes of Gucci and Louis Vuitton, which fetch average prices of £69 (around 809 euros), are also valuable. Those by Louboutin can also be resold for almost as much. Fans of Tiffany & Co., however, will be surprised to find that the New York jeweler’s famous blue boxes, which have definitely made their mark on the popular imagination, are only worth a mere £51 (59 euros).

With regard to cosmetics packaging, old perfume bottles lead the way. Nowadays, of course, there are many brands that offer to recycle these containers for environmental reasons, some pieces remain highly collectible. Bottles by Dior, for example, generally fetch around £50 (58 euros), those by Chanel and Hermès are only slightly less valuable.

Let’s also note the high interest in glass candle containers by Diptyque, which are worth £50 (58 euros), which is not far off the price of a new scented candle by the Parisian brand!

Under such conditions, it is therefore not surprising that consumers, fully aware of the value of the packaging they have in hands, are seduced by the refill options that are increasingly often offered to them. A situation that could inspire brands to find new ways to strengthen ties with consumers.