Food Packaging Trends

Unfortunately, the saying ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’ is not always applied in the food industry. Packaging can be the difference between someone deciding to purchase your product or not. 

To help, we’ve put together a list of packaging design trends to give your food business some inspiration to ensure your packaging is visually appealing to modern consumers.

Sustainable packaging

One trend that shows no sign of slowing down is eco-friendly packaging. With more and more people becoming conscious about the impact they make on the environment, there is an increasing demand for product packaging that is easily disposed of without causing any kind of detriment to the planet.

This trend can be widely seen in the rise of reusable cups, bottles and supermarket bags for life. McDonalds have also vowed to use completely renewable, recycled packaging by 2025. So, creating packaging that is reusable, recyclable or even compostable is likely to make it appealing to consumers.

Personalisation

With shopping online soaring following high street closures as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, the experience felt more disconnected and impersonal than ever before. This has caused brands to step up their game and go that extra mile to ensure their customers feel as though they have a unique unboxing experience.

This year, tactics such as including customers’ names in your packaging design and selecting imagery or messaging targeted to a specific customer’s interests, are powerful ways to create a connection and build customer loyalty from a distance.

Minimalism vs maximalism

In a crowded market, one way to stand out is opting for either a minimal or maximal style of packaging design. Whether using intense shades and busy patterns or going in a clean and simplistic direction, choosing to go extreme in your choices can develop a strong identity for your food brand.

Before making a decision, it’s important to determine which style suits your brand, your product and your business.

To find out more about the standout brand and packaging design that we created for Border Honey, read our case study.

Clear messaging

Again, due to the lack of social interaction between your food business and its customers, clear labelling and honest packaging is another way to gain consumer trust through your packaging design.

From October 2021, new legislation also comes into effect in England, Wales and Northern Ireland that mandates full ingredient and allergen labelling on foods which are pre-packed for direct sale. This is part of ‘Natasha’s Law’ which was created after the tragic death of Natasha Ednan-Laperouse, following an allergic reaction to a baguette which was not clearly labelled.

We’ve worked with Naughty Vegan to help reflect the brand’s bold personality in their product packaging. Read our case study to learn more.

Reassuring copy and design

Both anxiety and depression have risen significantly in the wake of the pandemic.  This is why some food businesses are using their packaging copy and design to reassure consumers and create more relevant brand messaging. This could be done by simply using less dark colours in your design and swapping them for brighter or calmer shades.

What changes could you make to your packaging to provide consumers with peace of mind, while telling your brand story?

Earthy tones

With time outside being limited as a result of the pandemic, people appear to be more appreciative of nature and the outdoors than ever before.

A way to utilise this and make consumers feel as though they are close to nature is to incorporate earthy and organic colours into your packaging design. What’s more, as people continue to become more environmentally conscious, this trend is likely to stick around, hence making these tones part of your brand’s identity won’t do your business any harm in the long-run.

Taking inspiration from popular design is not guaranteed to drive business to your food brand, however, trends do indicate consumer patterns so it is highly useful to be aware of them.

If you’re curious about refreshing your packaging design, why not drop us a message?