Fewer than 20 per cent of U.S. consumers, and only 7 per cent of consumers in Germany and the UK are “very satisfied” with product packaging. According to Packaging Matters, the annual study of the role packaging plays in consumer purchasing behaviour, brand loyalty and overall product satisfaction, conducted by US based packaging supplier MeadWestvaco Corporation (MWV) [1], only of 11 per cent of global consumers say they are completely satisfied with packaging.
Lack of functionality
According to MWV’s study, functional attributes, such as protecting the product from spilling and making the product easy to get out, are considered more important packaging attributes to consumers across all product categories. However, these same attributes are underperforming in the eyes of consumers. By comparison, attributes related to the appearance of packaging, such as being attractive and easy to find, are overachieving based on the perceived importance to consumers.
Shopping behaviour, in-store and online
However, the research shows packaging plays a significant role purchasing behaviours.
In brick-and-mortar retail, packaging’s role is apparent in the purchasing process (trial, repeat or switch) in which consumers trial a new product and depending on the experience, subsequently repeat that purchase, or switch to another brand to test a different product.
For instance, 57 per cent of German and 64 per cent of British consumers said they have tried something new because the packaging caught their eye on the retail shelf. Also, 31 per cent of German consumers and 28 per cent of British consumers (41 per cent on average among the studied markets) mention packaging as the factor that has induced them to purchase a product again (repeat). Eventually, 36 per cent of consumers have switched brands because of negative experiences with new packaging (19 per cent of German consumers and 30 per cent British consumers).
The Packaging Matters study also examines online shopping habits of global consumers, and the research reveals a host of behaviours that can be influenced by packaging. When shopping online, consumers report that product packaging has led them to research more information about a product (29 per cent), write an online review that mentions the packaging (22 per cent), “friend” or "become a fan" of a brand/company on social networking sites (20 per cent), post something about that product on social media (18 per cent).
“Packaging continues to play an important role in building brand loyalty and driving repeat purchase in-store and, increasingly, it is also a vehicle that connects brands and consumers online,” said Steve Kazanjian vice president, Global Creative, MWV.
Important impact in developing markets
For analysis, the surveyed countries were categorized as Developed Packaging Markets (Germany, Japan, U.K., U.S.) and Developing Packaging Markets (Brazil, China, India, Russia, South Africa and Turkey), based on factors such as total GDP, purchasing power of the middle class, sophistication of supply chain, and the prevalence of modern retailing.
The results show that packaging is more than twice as important to overall product satisfaction for consumers in Developing Packaging Markets compared to those in Developed Packaging Markets (54 per cent vs. 20 per cent). Packaging also impacts the purchasing process (Trial, Repeat or Switch) much more in Developing Packaging Markets than in Developed Packaging Markets.
“Packaging also has a greater influence on online shoppers in Developing Packaging Markets, who may have adopted habits more quickly with the prevalence of mobile devices, compared to peers in Developed Packaging Markets,” MWV adds.
