Packaging for a product is as important as the product itself. There are rows and rows of competition on the shelves at the supermarket and it is easy for a great product in a blah package to get shoved to the side. Even established and successful products need to be refreshed and updated to stay relevant in the marketplace. Following trends and listening to what consumers want means more sales and success for your company. Recent trends include personalization, clearer labeling, and mobilization. Staying on trend could make or break the success of your product simply based on the design of your packaging.

Coke launched a highly successful personalization campaign with the label Share a Coke with….which included specific names. Other brands like Oreo cookies or M&M’s candies allow you to add designs to their packaging personalizing specifically for you. Many companies are starting to offer these same services all to add the personalization consumers are looking for.

Consumers are also looking for honesty in labeling. They want to know exactly what is in the food they are buying with clear and specific labeling. Gone are the days when vague labeling and twisting of truths will do. If something is labeled as having real fruit in it, for example, consumers are demanding it actually contain real fruit not just be enhanced with vitamins or juice concentrate.

The concept of an interactive product is not a new one but with the prevalence of smartphones and scanning apps consumers have the opportunity to connect immediately with a product or company through scan codes offered on packaging and labels. Taking advantage of this type of labeling connects customers with your company in ways never imagined before. Taking full advantage of these and other top trends in packaging will keep your product moving off the shelves and improve longevity for your brand.