A new study was published by Packaged Facts entitled Food and Beverage Packaging in the US: Consumer Perspectives which analyzes the shifting and emerging trends in food and beverage packaging. There were 5 key trends identified which include:
- Millennials: This group tends to like fresh, less processed foods as demonstrated by their preference for fast casual restaurants that offer freshly prepared foods as well as shopping the perimeter of grocery stores where fresh, non-packaged foods can be found
- Smaller packages are a big trend in packaging: One and two person households represent 61% of all U.S. homes and package sizes targeting this demographic has become a major trend. Formats include single-serve packaging, meals for two, multi-packs of individual portions and resealable packaging. This happily coincides with a push we, here at Genpak, have been focusing on. For more detail on Genpak Grab & Go packaging, follow this link.
- Packaging for convenience: Packaging with features such as ease of opening, resealability, portability, light weight and easy dispensing are packaging benefits that influence consumers’ purchasing decisions.
- See-thru packaging can boost sales: Marketers and food operators are placing their products in packaging that enable clear visualization. This transparency piggybacks on consumers desire to see how foods look and produced. This transparency by producers builds consumer trust and goodwill.
- Eco-friendly packaging growing: Improved recyclability and sustainability will become ever more important for packaging.
I found these trends interesting as it is almost like reading right from our playbook.