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4 PACKAGING DESIGN STRATEGIES THAT WILL MOVE CONSUMERS TOWARD SUSTAINABILITY even many experts are not aligned Sustainable packaging options can take many different forms. From more efficient workflows and packaging reductions, to using greener materials, inks, and substrates. There are so many innovations happening for sustainable packing, it’s becoming essential for brands to closely consider all avenues. But what about consumers? Studies have found that globally, consumers are willing to pay more for sustainable packaging. In China, it was 8 out of 10 respondents; in Italy, South America, United Kingdom, and Germany, it averaged 70%. These results are significant and indicate that consumers are the most powerful driving force for brands to pursue more sustainable packaging. Which means that if a brand’s packaging speaks, consumers will listen—they just need to hear the right notes. We examine four design strategies brands can implement to motivate consumers to connect with more sustainable packaging long-term.
Simplify Visual Indicators
We know brands are committed to sustainable packaging. We also know that consumers are willing to pay more. But sustainability is viewed as a huge topic, one that can be overwhelming for consumers, designers, and brands. Additionally,
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on what is sustainable and what isn’t. This creates a significant barrier for consumers to understand how to identify which packaging is more sustainable, preventing those pursuits altogether. Even 35% of US consumers say that would buy more sustainably packaged products if they were better labeled. Brands design teams must help consumers navigate the challenges around clarity. Rather than allowing consumers to struggle for answers while browsing the shelf, brands should make sustainability solutions as clear as possible through visual cues in the form of structure, graphics, or colors. Green is the most common indicator of environmental friendliness, but brands should be open to using other visual characteristics such as package size, shape, and graphics, as well the product itself to imply sustainable packaging. One example is the redesign for Seepje liquid laundry detergent. The brand is already known for using environmentally friendly ingredients, so their packaging needed to further reflect that position. Designers focused on circularity with a refillable bottle cap, optimized material reduction, and compostable materials. These features retained the original design features but amplified its sustainability, creating simplified visual cues for the consumer, and making their choice for sustainability easier.
Enhance Digital Communication
Studies found that if consumers had clearer labeling and communications on packaging about sustainability, they would buy green products more often. Consumers only have a few seconds to see a package and determine if it’s sustainable, so from a design perspective, brands must evolve their packaging to clearly communicate sustainable credentials and make it easier for consumers to spot at the point of sale. The challenge designers often have is that is so much content must be communicated on a pack, prioritizing details like benefits, descriptions, and ingredients. Unlike label standards, there is no consistent way to communicate sustainability. This is where amplifying digital solutions is key to improving transparency with consumers. The pandemic saw an increase in consumers scanning QR codes, so if brands have a sustainability story to share, they should lean into this valuable technology. QR codes provide brands with flexibility in their communication strategy around sustainability. Not only can brands tailor the content to suit the legal requirements in specific markets, but they can make their sustainability content more engaging, educational, and inspiring through various formats of branded media. Mars recently launched a QR code for its Galaxy® Chocolate brand so they could communicate their sustainability journey and social responsibility with consumers. The QR code appears onpack and in-store, and links directly to the page that details their various global initiatives.
