Food and beverage brand marketing is multifaceted and multichannel — but to a large extent, it relies on the power of packaging to be successful. In its sheer magnitude, the global food and beverage packaging market — valued at $350 billion in 2023 and expected to reach $519 billion by 20302 — underscores the essential role packaging plays in brand marketing.In fact, packaging can be considered the basis for any brand’s success. It sets the brand tone and visual identity that carry through across marketing channels and influence purchase decisions for 72% of American consumers.1
Good Point: Packaging Powers Point of Sale
As a key revenue driver, packaging also needs to stand on its own as a concise yet complete brand statement that catches consumers’ attention and quickly communicates product value and brand distinction. Design elements such as logos, colors, typography and imagery collectively convey the brand’s personality and narrative and distinguish it on the shelf.
When purposefully crafted, packaging acts as a sales catalyst that can unwrap exponential profit potential. It’s often the first point of contact between a product and prospective buyers — the essential tool that can turn prospects into purchasers.
A Delight for the Eyes3
- 81% of consumers have tried a new product because the packaging caught their eye.
- 63% purchased a product again due to the appearance of its packaging.
- 52% have changed brands because of new packaging.
Bear in mind that packaging makes a statement about company values — a determining factor for brand loyalty. Packaging that communicates transparently with clear and accurate labeling is more likely to inspire brand loyalty for 94% of consumers.1
Packaging Revisited: Brands Send Clutter Packing
RXBar stripped down its packaging and recast it as one big clean label that calls out each flavor’s high protein content, four simple ingredients and “No B.S.” The distinctive look of the simplified packaging boosted sales from $2 million in 2014 with the old branding to $160 million with the new branding in 2017.4
Halo Top took a similar approach and redesigned its packaging to prioritize product attributes above the brand name. The simpler, more focused design scooped up $347 million in sales and lifted it from obscurity to industry leader.5
Consumers Eat Up Eco-Friendly and Smart Packaging
Propelled by consumer demand, the pivot toward eco-friendly solutions is a determining factor in the growth of the packaging market — and major brands are at the forefront of the shift.
The Coca-Cola Co. has generated an outpouring of positive publicity with its ambitious sustainability initiatives, including the goal of ensuring all of its packaging is recyclable by 2025 and made with 50% recycled material by 2030.6 (As of 2023, 90% of its packaging is recyclable.)
Coca-Cola also uses smart packaging, such as QR codes, to access nutritional details, interactive promotions and augmented reality content. Consumers scan the codes with their smartphones, often linking to the brand’s buzzy “Real Magic” marketing platform and companion app.
Smart packaging can also serve up real-time information through sensors, barcodes and RFID tags that monitor and track a product’s temperature, freshness and progression through the distribution chain.
Ben’s Original has even used a scannable barcode on its packaging to provide an augmented reality experience with information on the origins of the ingredients in its products.
“Packaging can influence a consumer’s emotional response to a product,” points out Meghan Flynn, director of public relations at The Food Group. “So if your packaging includes a sustainability statement, it’s likely to trigger a favorable response to your brand, given the importance consumers put on eco-friendly causes.”
High-quality sustainable packaging can help extend shelf life to reduce waste — and if its visual presentation and messaging evoke feelings of eco-friendliness, all the better.
The Complete Package: Tips to Get the Most Out of Packaging
- Brand identity: Make sure your packaging is tailored to appeal to your target audience and reflects the brand image you want to convey.
- Labeling: Use legible fonts and clear language to encapsulate ingredients, nutritional information, allergens, best-by dates and manufacturer details.
- Sustainability: Choose recyclable or biodegradable materials and minimize waste in sizing and design.
- Convenience: Tear-away tabs and other easy-open features help provide a positive customer experience.
- Freshness: Opt for materials that protect against spoilage and incorporate features like resealable closures to maintain fresh taste and texture.
“Packaging can be theater, it can create a story,” said Steve Jobs.8 Ultimately, package design comes down to the kind of brand narrative you want to communicate to your target audience and carry through, from package to multiple media platforms. It’s a matter of seamlessly wrapping together form and function for maximum market impact and the best possible customer experience.
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1 Peek, Adam, “12 Insightful Packaging and Printing Statistics to Know (2024),” Meyers, January 3, 2024
2 Virtue Market Research, “Food and Beverage Packaging Market | Size, Share, Growth | 2024 - 2030,” October 2024
3 Johns Burns, “Packaging Matters: 3 Purchasing Behavior Statistics Everyone Should Care About,” October 14, 2019
4 Montag, Ali, “The 31-year-old CEO of $600 million RXBar once fired his own mother from the company — here's why,” CNBC, March 12, 2018
5 Adam Insights, “Halo Top’s $347M Success: Prioritizing Product Benefits in Packaging,” August 29, 2024
6 The Coca-Cola Co., Packaging Design
7 Dillon, Michael, “Sustainable Packaging Statistics: Why Eco-Friendly Packaging Matters,” Meyers, July 8, 2022
8 Shaw, Jody, “The Importance of Packaging Design for Food and Beverage Products,” Kadence, 2024