With the rise of ecommerce, there has been more interest from consumers and businesses about how shopping online is going to affect the grocery retail industry. When Amazon acquired Whole Foods, one of the major questions people were asking is how will this venture shape consumer behavior to buy produce and groceries online. Another question that comes with this emerging trend is how will packaging be modified to ensure fresh and safe food delivery?
Imagery to Product Alignment: When people are shopping for food, or any product online, they rely heavily on picture and video content to understand the product they are buying. For groceries, if a consumer sees a package that looks a particular way on the website, this is what they expect to be delivered to them. If the consumers buy a product and it is shipped in a different package than what they saw online, this can cause mistrust between the company and the consumer.
Ensuring a Safe Delivery: Companies are running into problems because certain packages may have to be altered to ensure a safe delivery. No one wants to receive a package where the product on the inside are smashed or broken open. Some companies like Coke-a-Cola and Campbell’s are starting to develop new ways to package their products to minimize product damages to ensure that consumers are satisfied with their delivery.
Personalized Packaging for Brand Recognition: In addition to new packaging designs, food companies are also starting to invest in personalizing their packages in order to appeal to consumers. Due to the saturation of different brands in the grocery industry, companies are using personalize packaging to differentiated their brands from others.
Commitment to Sustainability: Finally, the last concept to consider is that consumers are willing to invest more money in an environmentally alternative. When it comes to shipping groceries, stores like Walmart and even meal delivery services like Green Chef and Blue Apron are evaluating ways to make their packaging efforts more sustainable.
With online grocery sales expected to grow 20% by 2025, packaging and shipping companies need to prepare for this surge. Pioneer is here to help with you all of your packaging related questions.
To learn more, don’t hesitate to contact us.