Published on Tuesday, Jul 22 2014
In the UK, the debate is rife between politicians, charities and businesses on how packaging can influence customers’ buying behaviour.
This issue has been brought to light after the disputes on whether the packaging on cigarettes can affect a person’s desire to take up the habit. Many campaign groups have been arguing for the introduction of standardised, plain packets in order to reduce consumers’ exposure to a cigarette companies’ promotion and advertising activities.
The main argument in the case for cigarettes is whether packaging actually increases the likelihood of purchase or just simply improves brand loyalty? This led us to wonder how much packaging actually impacts upon our purchasing behaviour, for any type of product.
Ultimately packaging should form part of the brand experience and is often the first thing that a user interacts with when initiating a relationship with a company and so its value cannot be underestimated.
A recent study undertaken by the University of Miami and California Institute of Technology, found that, within the food industry especially, the visual aesthetics of packets have a significant effect upon our decision process. Obviously other factors such as experience, taste and habits do impact upon our buying decision but the appearance of packaging was the first thing to catch a consumer’s eye.
Other research has shown that even the materials that products are packaged in can have an influence upon a consumer’s final decision, as it reflects the quality of the product within or the brand’s focus upon making a positive environmental impact.
As when consumers do not have a previous relationship with a brand, there are no expectations set so packaging plays an integral part, working as a marketing tool to show off the quality and appeal of the product. This is an important consideration for businesses, who will need to ensure that their packaging concepts meet the needs and fit the preferences of their customers.
On the other hand, the argument for plain packaging is that it creates a neutral environment for consumers allowing them to make an informed and unbiased choice based on the credentials of the product rather than its marketing efforts – therefore allowing smaller companies to compete against those with larger budgets at their disposal.
Whilst we cannot say what the outcome may be for the cigarette industry, it is evident that packaging plays an important role within the buying decision, presenting manufacturers with an opportunity to differentiate themselves from their competitors and to grab the attention of their target audience.
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