Shoppers and manufacturers: How far do expectations with regard to packaging diverge?
You are a manufacturer and are currently looking for the best possible product name. You’ve come up with three product names internally, but now you don’t know which one will appeal to your target market best?
That is just one of many market research challenges food & drink companies face with regard to packaging. By using three different packages with identical content and questions about the naming, market research specialists provide the best possible product name.
Again and again, go2market is approached by manufacturers with questions far beyond “classic” questions about the product. That’s why we also carry out studies on specific topics, in addition to product tests – most recently on the packaging. What was particularly exciting was that we asked our product manufacturers and members more or less the same questions. This clarified what shoppers want/expect and what the industry thinks are often worlds apart. Perhaps this is one of the main reasons why most new listings at retail fail within a few months.
Therefore, I would like to share some exciting findings from our packaging study 2021 with you.
Approximately 66% of the 1,000 surveyed consumers said they would like to see recycling/disposal information directly on the packaging. Only about 51% of more than 80 surveyed manufacturers assumed this was important to consumers.
More than half of the manufacturers thought consumers would like to see quality marks – on then consumers’ site. This was only slightly more than one-third of the respondents. Opinions differed, especially when it came to the sustainability label. Just under 54% of manufacturers believed that a sustainability label leads consumers to perceive a product as “sustainably/environmentally friendly packaged”. Only 23% of consumers shared the same opinion.
The question “Can packaging alone be decisive for a purchase decision?” was answered by more than 80% of respondents with a yes – among manufacturers, only around 68%.
Companies should, therefore, not only think about how their packaging should look but also whether it is designed in the way consumers want it to be.
About go2market:
go2market www.go2.marketshas developed a unique real-life market research tool that works with real supermarkets and real consumers who match the socio-demographics of the particular country where the test is being conducted. The member panel consists of 1,500 people in Austria and 3,000 people in Germany.
go2market allows you to see your products through the eyes of consumers. The research and consulting offer refers to the entire product life cycle and includes shopper and consumer behaviour. Manufacturers receive cost-effectively valuable insights and quick feedback. Opportunities include product market opportunities, innovation and trends, packaging design, retail strategies, customer loyalty and brand positioning.