A package was once just a package. If you needed to ship something, you simply fit it into whatever box or bag you had laying around. Even the food and beverage items that you purchased from the local grocery store did not always come in a consistent package. Today, however, packing is expected to be secure and safe. You must wrap your item in a package that fits the product properly, keeps it air tight, and is completely safe. A safe package today includes the following considerations.
User friendly
The package needs to be user friendly. Whether it is a user friendly clamshell package or use friendly safety glasses cases, the overall design needs to make sense. A user friendly clamshell package means that it keeps the product safe, but is also easily opened by the user. This can be a difficult design to find, meaning that many of the products you come across today are in a similar package. User friendly clamshells are one of the more common types of packaging.
Environmentally friendly
A safe package is also safe for the environment. In fact, 52% of people around the world make purchase decisions partially due to packaging that shows a brand making a positive social and environmental impact. Every part of the packaging process should be green packaging, including the user friendly clamshells, the box labels, and even the green fishing utility box. The use of environmentally friendly packaging in larger name retailers is only expected to grow over the years. Of the 78 million metric tons of plastic packaging produced worldwide in 2013, 40% was dumped in landfills and 32% was leaked into the environment, polluting both land and sea. Reusable packaging can help reduce this kind of waste.
Clear contents
A safe package also notifies the handler of what is inside of it. Not only do clear labels inform package handlers to take greater care with some items, it also notified them when they should be care of harmful contaminants. For example, food items that need to be refrigerated should be clearly labeled to prevent food bacteria. Additionally, cleaning supplies that not delivered in a careful manner can break open and put harmful smells into the air. Box labels are important for many reasons.
Usable to the specific user
In addition to clear contents, recyclability, and user friendliness, each user has their own set of packaging requirements. It is likely that you never thought about your own, but it is also likely that you have preferences for different types of packaging. Think about the medications that you purchase. Do you usually purchase bottles with capsules or do you instead, purchase the liquid form? When you ship an item to someone in another state, do you put it into a cardboard box or do you put it into a bubble mailer?
Most people have shipping preferences, and they also have packaging preferences. According to a 2016 West Rock Consumer Insights Study, 26% of respondents said that the packaging of a product is extremely important to their overall satisfaction, which is up from 18% in 2013. Eventually, users realize their preferences and tend to make their buying and shipping decisions based on these packaging preferences.
Packaging continues to evolve over the years. Today, much of packaging is based on providing consumers with the safest type of packaging. A safe package means that it is user friendly, contains clear labels about its contents, and is also better for the environment. Specific consumer preferences will also affect the way that packaging materials continue to change.
