It is not today that the consumer is influenced by what he sees on the supermarket shelves and on the shelves of pharmacies and perfumeries. Behavioral studies show that visual elements such as the colors, layout and shape of the packaging and the way they are exposed are factors that motivate the purchase of a product.
The “Right Time to Activate Shopper” survey, released by Nielsen, shows that, on average, 70% of buying decisions are made in front of the gondola, and the shopper spends 15 seconds in the supermarket aisles and gives attention of only 1.6 seconds for each visual stimulus. The survey also points out that among the triggers of those planning a purchase are brand (54%), quantity (18%) and product variety (16%). The size of the packaging and how much it was intended to spend are of equal importance to the consumer (13%), followed by the type of packaging (11%).
For products that demand low purchase planning like bar chocolates, yogurts, cheeses, biscuits and tomato sauces, packaging can encourage impulse buying.
In the category of high-level products such as toilet paper, toothpastes, deodorants, soaps, diapers, laundry soap, coffee, meats and margarines, the shopper is more sensitive to price changes, but less prone to abrupt brand replacement , remaining in its range of well-known brands.
In this way, packaging evolves to accompany the consumer profile, such as yoghurt bottles replaced by glasses for the young audience, plastic and non-glass glasses for curd which are stackable and prevent breakage, and stand-up pouch plastic for standing) for atomized in place of cans, for consumers looking for practicality and lighter packaging.
The search for healthier lifestyles also influences the range of products and launches in order to contribute to the maintenance of health and consumer well-being. The packaging of these products, in turn, follow the line of differentiation, with a more modern and colorful design. Examples include margarine, yogurt, cottage cheese and ice cream in the “light” and “zero fat” versions, lactose-free, gluten-free and vegan products for those who have food restrictions or do not consume food and animal products.
Another trend is the “premiunization” of products, which creates more striking and interactive experiences, with the combination of flavors and aromas different from traditional and coordinated with sophisticated packaging.
A growing movement in recent years has been the reduction of the size of packages and the increase of the individual portions, due to the number of single people or who live alone and want to avoid wastage.
However, especially in Brazil, even with a number of smaller product options, many consumers still prefer “cheap” packages with 1 kilogram, 2.5 liters and 5 liters, due to the cost-benefit ratio.
The use of new technologies in packaging brings practicality and convenience to the consumer, and also increases the shelf-life of products, such as the resealable (open and closed) technology of colds, “micro-wave” materials that can be heated in the microwave and the film that can be baked because it allows the cooking of a meat in the packaging itself.
Regardless of which way life goes, the consumer will remain the great target to be achieved, both with new products and packaging, so that it has more convenience and advantages to then have their needs met and continue to buy.
By: Priscila Troian.
Source: Packaging and Brand.
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