Packaging you develop for your food products should be one of the most effective sales drivers you have. It can also be one of the most expensive, frustrating and time consuming components of your business. If I had the dollars that I have witnessed being ‘written off’ for obsolete or useless packaging and labels, I might be relaxing on my own island as opposed to writing this newsletter.

Merchandising

As you prepare to design packaging for a new product or revitalize an existing product you need to visit the stores of your current and any potential customers. You need to understand how the products in your category will be merchandised. Do they stand them up on the shelf, lay them down or is the top the critical communication space? These are very important considerations for your design. Often you will be faced with two customers merchandising the category differently. If you are selling potatoes some retailers put the bags sideways and others leave them on the pallet.
    

Talk to your customers to understand if any changes to merchandising are coming. Packaging takes time and money to develop, don’t waste either with packaging that will not sell the product from the shelf.

Your unique selling proposition and brand promise

The best place to sell your product is in the store. What are the top three things you need to convey to the consumer that will entice them to pick it up and put it in their shopping cart? List them and make sure they are part of your packaging. You can see on these lettuce packages they want you to understand they are ‘Super foods.’ It is clear and easy to read.

Regulations

One of the biggest challenges to developing effective packaging is to make it compliant with all regulations. These regulations can be confusing and at times difficult to get definitive answers. If you are doing business in different countries you really have to be on top of the changes required.
    

In Canada the best place to start is with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).  Check out this link to get you started: www.inspection.gc.ca
    

There are many different sections, familiarize yourself with these sections. 
1.    Core labeling requirements
2.    Claims and statements
3.    Food specific labeling requirements
    

Claims and statements are becoming more complicated all the time. Often these are tied to your unique selling proposition so you need to ensure you are in compliance with the guidelines when you are making claims. For some claims such as GMO, the licensing body has its own guidelines. 
    

When you are searching for a design firm, ask them some questions about these regulations and guidelines. If they do not know the answers, move on. The designer needs to have a good working knowledge of these regulations or you will spend money on a great design that can never be implemented or even worse, be implemented and then be wrong.

Functionality for the product during shipping, in the store and at home
    

One of the most important functions for packaging is to protect the product as it moves from your facility, through your customer’s supply chain to the store shelf. You might start at the end of the line; the consumer who will use the product. What is important to them and how do you ensure your product will deliver?
    

This can include how the consumer opens the package, recipes you want them to follow, instructions for use, quality (refrigerated, frozen, fresh etc.) and perhaps the relationship between an inner and outer package.
    

When you develop the packaging, you also have to develop a shipping box. Make sure you have the correct components for your customers to get the product through the supply chain. This would include clear product description and case pack UPC if applicable. Remember you want warehouse and store employees to see your products as easy to find and efficient.

On shelf, off shelf and on line

Once you have determined the more functional components and regulatory requirements you need to shift your focus to the design of the packaging. My recommendation is that you consider three viewers of your packaging. How will they perceive it on the shelf, in an off-shelf display and in our new world, on-line?
    

On the shelf your product will be beside many other items. Do you have a number of SKUs that will be merchandised together? If you do, take advantage of this and create your own section on the shelf. If your product is merchandised in discount stores it could be merchandised in the case. 
    

Off-shelf displays sell products so your items must be effective in this arena. Give consideration as to how the displays will be built or if a bin is feasible. Your item will be in less competition in an off-shelf display however it must draw the customer in. This is your chance to really communicate the message.
    

Although a very small percentage of sales in our market are on-line this will grow quickly in the future. Review the on-line presentation of products in your category. This is very different than being in the store. Font size and the top, back and side of your package are not available for the consumer to see.

A process to follow

You can use this process to design or revitalize your packaging. Perhaps not every section is applicable to your product but many are. More information to the consumer is better and if your item is a commodity, challenge the people in your business to what it should be saying to customers and consumers.  Now you have a process, the challenge for you is to fit it all on the small space you have, in two languages!