Custom Product Packaging: 3 Trends Grabbing Consumer Attention In 2023
Selective shoppers and shrinking attention spans are making first impressions more crucial than ever. Here’s how any brand can do it right with custom product packaging in 2023.
Businesses pour endless hours into finding 3 key truths: who their consumer is, what their consumer wants, and how to convince that consumer to buy. What they discover will ultimately shape everything from product design to marketing campaigns.
Unfortunately, most brands will apply a fraction of that insight to packaging. The reason? Few realise the scale of influence it has on purchasing decisions.
72% of American consumers say packaging influences their purchasing choices.
61% of luxury product users claim luxury packaging would increase the likelihood of subsequent purchases.
52% of customers have switched brands due to packaging changes.
Packaging matters. Not only does it require the same consumer-based thought and planning as other aspects of your product, it also needs to conform to wider trends across the market. Here are a few that are grabbing customer attention in 2023.
Sustainability
No one can deny the huge impact sustainability has made on packaging over the last few decades. But is it really driving consumer decisions? And if so, will consumers be satisfied by simply slapping an ‘eco-friendly’ label on your product packaging?
In short, yes—sustainable packaging does indeed matter—as research increasingly shows.
81% of UK consumers prefer packaging derived from sustainable materials, with 36% having bought a product based on the sustainability of its packaging. A similar sentiment was expressed by online consumers, 66% of which cited eco-friendly packaging as the most influential environmental factor driving their e-commerce purchases.
For your brand to get the most out of any sustainable shifts in custom product packaging, it’s crucial to know which are garnering the most attention from consumers in 2023.
Less & lighter
Shoppers ultimately want to see less of any type of packaging, even eco-friendly versions. In fact, a recent survey revealed that 77% of consumers viewed using a minimal amount of packaging as the second-most impactful sustainable measure, right behind reducing plastic packaging (78%).
As a result, brands are turning to:
Customised package sizing for more efficient space usage
Sustainable packing materials to replace extra packaging
Removal of secondary packaging when possible
Lightweighting has also been embraced by companies at every level. Its adoption of corrugated boxes led to Amazon curtailing its total packaging use by an impressive 30%. By replacing boxes with recyclable envelopes and thinning packaging walls, businesses are using less material and reducing shipping weights.
A preference for paper
Despite impressive strides in renewables, consumers still prefer paper over other materials. 73% of consumers in the UK consider paper/cardboard packaging important indicators of sustainability.
In 2023, we are seeing a clear shift to grainier varieties with its natural texture serving as a nod to quality and craftsmanship. In addition to boxes and bags, paper is taking centre stage in food packaging, replacing plastic in resealable pouches as well as barrier packaging for pharmaceutical products.
Eco-friendly plastics
Plastic=bad, paper=good. For most consumers, it’s as simple as that. In reality, plastic’s durability and versatility make it an invaluable packaging component throughout several industries. And advances in technology are giving it a much-welcomed sustainable update.
Biodegradable plastics provide brands all the qualities of traditional plastic with a significantly smaller carbon footprint. Research indicates bioplastic packaging is viewed as sustainably on par with its paper-based counterpart. Created from renewable sources such as sugar cane, cornstarch, and wheat gluten, these materials are gaining popularity as viable alternatives.
Bio-derived polyethylene (PET) has become a green go-to for food containers and caps.
Starch-based bioplastics are increasingly being used in disposable food service items.
Bioplastics such as PLA, bio-PE, and bio-PET are a popular choice for cosmetics packaging.
Typography-Centred Design
Once your brand determines who your customers are and what they want, you need to convince them to buy. And that means finding a way to make your product stand out among competitors.
This year we see bold typography as an ongoing custom packaging trend. It continues to play a major role in shelf differentiation, as recent consumer data indicates. 85% of consumers agree that printed information is a significant factor in their purchasing decisions. But why?
Today, people are overloaded with information. Clear and recognisable branding via typography simplifies purchasing decisions amidst a plethora of choices.
While colour, style, and imagery are undoubtedly crucial components of brand image, print-based messaging reassures shoppers of their selection in a more direct manner.
Wrap around text
Catching the eye of potential customers is hard enough; getting your product into their hands is even harder. Wrap around, cut-off text creates buyer curiosity that helps brands do both. In 2023, we are seeing more businesses using this tactic to increase the odds of purchase.
Monologue design
Typography is not only leading packaging design, it is increasingly becoming a one-act show. Bold, only-type styles are showing up on their own or accompanied by minimal graphics.
This phenomenon is being driven by minimalism and falling rates of brand loyalty. By focusing more on text-based messaging and less on artistic imagery, companies are hoping to reinforce buyer trust with a more confident, straightforward brand image.
Short & sweet messaging
Clever copywriting used to be a packaging staple. But longer customer journeys and shorter buyer attention spans means shoppers are at a higher level of awareness: once they encounter your product, most won’t take much time deliberating over whether or not to buy.
Research shows consumers spend an average of 13 seconds deciding whether or not to buy in-store, and 17 seconds whilst shopping online. This places a huge burden on packaging to send the right message instantly.
Vegan. Dairy-free. Ethically sourced. Sustainably made. These are the tidbits of information today’s consumers need to see in those crucial seconds spent deciding which product they’ll ultimately purchase. Consequently, brands are minimising the amount of text on secondary packaging in the hopes of maximising revenue.
Textures
Custom product packaging is all about capturing consumer attention and communicating vital information relevant to your brand image. Along with colour, shape, and typography, texture is quickly becoming a popular way to stand out.
It is also a major (yet often overlooked) indicator of quality: 86% of consumers agree that the quality of packaging material influences their purchasing decisions. Not only does it invite shoppers to take your product into their hands, it also insinuates luxury, craftsmanship, and novelty without the use of text or imagery.
This effortless communication between brand and consumer is the type of marketing that works in 2023. To increasingly sceptical, over stimulated shoppers textured packaging is a refreshingly understated nod to sophistication and style.
Die cuts
This technique consists of openings in the top layer of packaging and is often seen in boxes and wrappers. It produces a multi-layer, 3D effect that attracts and intrigues, while adding a playful touch to any product.
Die cuts work perfectly with secondary packaging like confectionery boxes, food containers, and toy packaging.
Foil printing
The reflective shine of foils injects a shot of luxury into the simplest, monotone design. This type of printing is an excellent method of indicating premiumisation throughout multi-product lines.
Though it's been a staple of distillery and cosmetics packaging for years, it’s recently been used to distinguish higher-end versions of everything from gourmet chocolates to apparel packaging.
Embossing & Debossing
If you’ve ever run your fingers over bumps or indentations along a box surface, then you know what these techniques look and feel like. Typically used to contrast matte and gloss surfaces, this is a great way to add character to single-tone designs.
This versatile printing method works well on several types of packaging such as boxes, bags, and bottles.
Expert Tips For Timeless Packaging
Trends come and go. Here are some tried and true methods for keeping your packaging fresh and modern that stand the test of time.
Stay on target
Try to please everybody and you will please no one. For your packaging design to work, its components need to cohesively focus on your target customer. Will it entice them? Does it speak to their values? Can it persuade them to make a purchase? Every facet must be aligned to appeal to the people most likely to buy your product.
Be recognisable
Consumers don’t like surprises: 52% have switched brands due to packaging changes. A few tweaks here and there can keep things interesting, but unless your company undergoes a complete rebranding, its aesthetic needs to stay consistent and recognisable.
Pick one standout feature
Bright neon colours. Retro typography. Touch-worthy texture. But not all at once. Your customers need to be intrigued—not overwhelmed. For maximum impact, amplify one design facet to lead with and let the other elements take a stylistic backseat.