Nostalgia has played a large part in the decisions made by packaging designers recently.  There is good reason for those choices.  People connect, on an emotional level, to images and products that bring up memories of years gone by.  Tapping into a person’s memories can immediately create a sense of loyalty and desire that may not have existed otherwise.  And, all of that can take place simply due to the design of food product packaging.

However, it is important to remember that plastic pouches and flexible packaging is about more than recreating the look of the past.  The modern advancements have help to protect products during transportation, stocking, and while sitting on the grocery store shelves.

Combining the capability of new pouch packaging with the nostalgic images that attract the customer can result in the perfect equation, and ultimately in an increase in purchases. That is exactly why companies are willing to hire proven packaging designers, and why they will spend large sums on conducting consumer research to determine what look sells the best.

What the research is telling them, recently, is that many people are drawn to the looks of the past — the pictures that remind them of their childhoods, or of good days gone by.

It is understandable, the draw to the past, this love of nostalgic package printing.  Packaging is meant to do more than protect the product.  It is supposed to tell the consumer more about what is contained within.  Concerns over additives, hormones, artificial ingredients, and other such hot button terms are pushing consumers to seek healthier options.  Many associate all-natural products, safe choices with the past.  They look back to the simplicity and the home cooking of eras gone by, knowing that new advancements in food prep and storage has led to the inclusion of more preservatives and other artificial ingredients.  So that sense of nostalgia is about more than fond memories, it can also instill a sense of trust that consumers are actively seeking today.