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CARTONBOARD
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he packaging industry is in flux. New distribution channels need new packing concepts. The retail trade is looking for new ideas for various retail channels, ideally made of cartonboard, according to a recent MultiChannel Packaging Study carried out by ProCarton. The market for high quality spirits has proved to be of special interest: the reason being, they need to make a convincing appearance as high quality gift packaging in multichannel distribution. Over two thirds of all spirits are sold as gifts or for guests. This was confirmed by the result of a study conducted by Ipsos Observer on behalf of the STI Group: it is quality that counts, especially the packaging. Consumers are willing to spend 13% more for an attractively packaged product, and even 27% more if glasses are included.
The Case for Cartonboard There is huge scope for growth in premium and personalised packaging, particularly when it comes to high value goods like premium spirits.
Gift Packaging The internet has added to the significance of gift packaging: gifts can easily be sent directly to recipients. This implies that your products have to look their best on mobile devices. “The best way to convey good wishes is by deluxe packaging,” says Virginio Scalabrin, R&D Manager at Lucaprint in Italy. “And what could be better than personalised carton packaging? Besides the contents, the carton itself will be a long-lasting icon of beauty.” Geert Verlinden, Group Innovation Manager at Van Genechten in Belgium, foresees a virtual boom for gift packaging: “We are constantly pressed for time and thus buy ready packaged products to give as gifts to family and friends. This is much easier than buying products and packaging them nicely ourselves. The branded goods industry has got the message.”
Personalised Packaging and Smaller Editions Special smaller editions and personalisation are very much associated with gift packaging. Increasingly, buyers can have their personal portrait affixed to a product, be it in-store or online. Limited editions with special themes or for regional target groups are extremely en vogue. “The use of digital printing is already fairly widespread due to the great demand for special solutions,” Scalabrin notes. “Today, many products are already packaged specifically for events, fairs, competitions or jubilees.” IRISH PACKAGING & PRINT
The internet has added to the significance of gift packaging: gifts can easily be sent directly to recipients, so products have to look their best on mobile devices.
Martin Glatz, Head of Sales, Marketing, Research and Development at German company Karl Knauer, underlines this aspect: “There is no doubt that production runs are getting shorter and more specific to target groups. This does not necessarily imply that this can ‘only’ be achieved with digital printing. It is certainly possible to produce even small editions with numerous motif changes cost-efficiently. But of course, we will be entering completely new dimensions in packaging with digital printing in future, and unique design series or personalisation will be found more often, both on the shelves and online.”
The Internet Point of Sale 68% of those purchasing spirits make their decision at the POS. So, what happens if
the POS moves to the internet? At present, the sales of spirits via the web have a share of 4%, but this is growing fast. This spells new challenges for packaging. “The new trends are making new demands on packaging,” Verlinden reveals. “Extended communication platforms will guide consumers to the desired product via packaging. This includes numerous approaches of connectivity, from scanning codes or Augmented Reality, through to real interaction between packaging and Smartphones (Touch Code or NFC).” But it is not only communications that are changing. “The way we buy is changing,” Verlinden explains. “Consumers are increasingly purchasing online. Therefore, presentation not only needs to be attractive ‘on the shelf’ but also on the