It’s no secret that the use of flexible packaging is on the rise. According to numbers generated by a Harris Poll chartered by the Flexible Packaging Association, 26% of all brands have increased their usage of flexible packaging in the past five years, and 31% intend to increase their flexible packaging usage in the next five years1. Not only does flexible packaging cost less for manufacturers to produce and ship, but it also offers significant environmental advantages over its rigid counterpart.
You’ve probably noticed that just about every aisle in the grocery store now sells a pouched or bagged version of a product like soups, coffee, and cleaning products were once only sold in a rigid package. However, what you might not have (intentionally) noticed is the amount of design detail that goes into the flexible packaging your food comes in. You see, brand owners know that they have less than 1/3 of a second to influence your decision-making. This means their product needs to immediately grab your visual attention, inspiring you to pick their product off the shelf and look at it.
Keep your eyes out for these flexible packaging trends and see if they inspire you to put a product in your cart:
Soft Touch/Velvet/Matte
One of the hottest trends out there right now is soft touch matte coatings. The second a consumer picks up a product and has a pleasing tactile experience, they are one step closer to making a purchasing decision. After all, a velvety-feeling coffee pouch is a great subliminal complement to the velvety flavor of the coffee.
You will often see a matte look in products that want to be associated with unprocessed, natural, earthy goodness. Often times, the less shiny or frilly the package, the higher the presumption that its contents are natural and pure.
Matte coatings are also targeted to be easy on the eyes. As the population gets older, the bright lights of display cases cause reflections that make labels difficult to see. Matte surfaces will give a brand an advantage over glossy surfaces.
Thermochromatic Coatings
Merging technology with functionality, thermochromatic coatings change color based on temperature, indicating if the product is being stored and served at the correct temperature. This is becoming increasingly popular among beer cans, iced tea labels, microwave foods and more.
Spot/Gloss Varnish
Often used to highlight graphics of the product, its benefits, company logo, a Spot/Gloss varnish is a subtle and visually appealing way to draw attention to a specific area on the package.
The flexible packaging market is ever-evolving with exciting new trends. To discuss incorporating these trends (or explore others!) into your next project, contact the Experts at AWT Labels & Packaging.
