Speciality Food Magazine June 2024

adds, saying that minimalismhas dominated speciality food packaging design for years and it’s time to “embracemaximalism”, using strong colours, typography and imagery. “There has been a steady increase in brands using brighter, bolder visuals and colours in their bespoke packaging in the past year. Many of our incoming design briefs are highlighting a desire to stand out and ‘pop’. Humorous, engaging and tongue-in-cheek informality seems to be on the rise.” It’s crucial, Noah adds, to stay relevant. “It’s interesting to see how many previously outdated/traditional brands havemade strenuous efforts to pull their socks up. In order to stay on the scene, it’s evident that innovation is amust.” Meeting demands and driving products that might have once been considered unconventional or risky in themarket, taking a leap, can be the start of setting a trend, Noah reflects. “At WBCwe know that in order to indicating the perfect drinking temperature. Interactive packaging gives food and drink businesses the capability to inform, excite and educate their customers, gather data, and constantly update and improve their offering on the back of engagement. It’s the (packaged) gift that keeps on giving. In addition to QR and AR, both of whichwork via smartphones, Lauryn Hall, marketingmanager at packaging specialist Springfield Solutions (an All4Labels Global Packaging Group company) says NFC (near field communication) is also taking root. “NFC chips embedded in packaging can be tapped with a smartphone to open a webpage or app,” Lauryn explains. “As well as the security advantages of this technology, it can help food and drink businesses to engage with their customers by creating unique, memorable experiences. “In today’s competitive landscape, customer interaction is crucial for fostering brand loyalty and driving sales.” Lauryn points to storytelling, gamification, and relaying sustainability information and product use as themost prominent examples of interacitivty in the marketplace at themoment. These touchpoints for consumers represent “a significant advancement”, she adds. “By leveraging digital technologies, companies can create richer, more informativemoments, improving transparency, and gaining valuable consumer insights.” Springfield Solutions, which is helping businesses to navigate interactive options, thinks that as the technology becomesmore accessible, andmore recognised, its adoption will shift firmly into themainstream “offering numerous benefits to both them, and their customers”, Lauryn adds. Being bold Using interactivity to leverage your business is an exciting step to take. But, saysWBC’s in-house designer, NoahWhite, being bold in the design of your packaging and labelling, and ringing the changes to becomemore dynamic, can also have the desired effect on your bottom line. “We know that in order to stand out, you’ve got to do something different,” Noah explains. “In amarket oversaturated with competitors promising on price but often falling short on quality, we always strive to compete in both aspects.” The detail is in the retail, he R emember the days when packaging was purely functional? A vehicle to get products fromA to B. A protective vessel to shield food and drink from bugs, bacteria and nasties. Those days are gone. Yes, of course, packaging continues to serve all of the purposes above, but it has also becomemore versatile, increasingly eco-friendly and, dare we say it...fun! Whether you’re a retailer, or a brand selling artisan readymeals, biscuits, crisps or perhaps cheese, the way you package and label your products matters increasingly to consumers. It is a window into your world, informing the very first (andmost important) impression theymake of you. Getting it right, then, really does matter. And ‘getting it right’ in 2024means paying attention to key trends, the biggest being sustainability and interactivity. 36 @specialityfood LAURYN HALL SPRINGFIELD SOLUTIONS EVE REID WBC COMMENTATORS Soaring interest in sustainability, and technological innovations, are driving the industry into an exciting new era THECHANGINGFACEOF PACKAGING What is interactive packaging? Want tomake an impact? To build a relationshipwith new and existing customers? To drive social engagement? Or, maybe, to inject a bit of excitement into your category? It could be time to consider whether interactive packagingmight work for you. This device is being usedmore and more acrossmultiple sectors, and for myriad reasons, anecdotally to huge success. Use a QR code on pack for consumers to scan in store. It could take them to the fields where the cows who producemilk for your cheese are grazing, or to a recipe landing page, where a celebrity chef can be seen whipping up a quick supper using your ingredients. Augmented reality (AR) makes products come alive on the shelf. And you can even link to playlists on your packaging, bringing a creative, musical touch to your brand. Barilla, for example, joined forces with Spotify tomarket branded playlists on the platform– each one acting as a timer for one of its pastas. An 11-minute set for fusilli, and a nine- minute one for spaghetti, for example. ASDA introduced sandwich boxes for its lunch deals which folded out into plates (complete with plate image inside) to encouragemoremindful eating. Brands are building puzzles and board games inside their food and drink gifting packaging. And some clever cafes have worked with design experts tomanufacture interactive takeaway coffee cups which change colour or pattern as they cool,