The packaging is on the front line of product sales. It is the first point of contact for potential consumers, who see and touch it before interacting with the product itself. To stay relevant to what matters to today’s consumers, brands are transforming their packaging. Let’s take a closer look at packaging design trends in 2020 in the food industry.
1. Eco-friendly packaging
The number of companies opting for environmentally friendly, eco-friendly packaging is steadily increasing. This aims to reduce plastic waste harming our planet and gradually move toward a plastic-free society. Such initiatives align with the values of today’s consumers. For more and more people, eco-friendly solutions are important—not only do they check the origin of a product, but also whether the packaging is sustainable.
Eco-friendly packaging encompasses a wide range of solutions: packaging made from recycled materials, renewable sources, or reusable packaging. Companies adopt these solutions not only because of current trends but also to meet the expectations of environmentally conscious consumers.
2. Packaging that tells a story
Well-designed packaging has the potential to influence the consumer. When a brand wants to engage consumers on a deeper level, storytelling comes into play. Packaging can be an opportunity to tell the brand’s story, convey key messages, and create a bond with the consumer.
This approach is particularly important for brands selling mainly online. E-commerce products don’t have the advantage of being seen or touched in person. Packaging becomes a tool to communicate the brand, laying the foundation for establishing a connection with the consumer.
It’s essential to establish a direct connection with the client and build long-term loyalty. Ideally, packaging should achieve both. Storytelling packaging strengthens brand identity, helps the brand stand out in the consumer’s mind, and ensures lasting recognition.
Any brand can use packaging to tell its story—both established brands and newcomers. Every brand has the opportunity to share its unique story in its own way, addressing the growing consumer demand for authenticity and meaningful relationships.
3. Packaging with natural colors
As mentioned, eco-conscious packaging is a key trend. Alongside this, another trend is emerging: the use of natural colors in packaging.
In recent years, the focus has been on bright, pastel colors, glossy finishes, and metallic gradients. Now, brands are leaning toward more subtle, earth-inspired shades and tones. This is especially common in the organic food and beauty industries, where muted greens, blues, and browns are frequently used. As consumer demand for eco-friendly products grows, even brands outside the organic or natural sector are likely to adopt earth-inspired color palettes.
Ecology, naturalness, authenticity
2020 is a year when eco-friendly solutions gain strong traction, favored by consumers who care about product origin and packaging. Alongside this, brands are using natural, earth-inspired colors. Consumers also seek authenticity, which can be achieved by telling the brand’s story through packaging.
These are three of the 2020 packaging design trends with a strong impact. In the next part on our blog, we will discuss three more. Stay tuned.
