The Benefits of Smart Packaging for CPG
Smart Packaging links the physical world to the digital world: Smart packaging forms the perfect bridge between manufacturers, retailers, consumers, and social media platforms. With the ever-growing digital world, there is no need to use traditional ways (plain packaging) for protecting and labelling goods. Plain packaging has little to no return on investment.
What exactly is Smart Packaging?
In principle, Smart Packaging refers to packaging with embedded smartphone readable technology used with foods, nutraceuticals, wines, and many other types of products.
The Use of Smart Packaging for Consumer Packaged Goods
Smart packaging is packaging that offers benefits beyond just protecting the product inside, this can be called smart or intelligent. The “intelligence” of such packaging essentially comes from making contact with its outside world and giving back something in return, like information or guidance to the consumer.
This information on smart packaging for consumer packaged goods provides automation, marketing, and further customer engagement options. In most instances, this embedded scanning technology takes the form of static QR codes or serialised codes.
At the same time, this technology can of course also be used for logistics and marketing purposes. For example, a product can have a serialised code that is scanned by businesses and customers. The business can scan the product to track its journey through the supply chain to make sure the product goes all the way to the right destination. The customer can scan the code to verify the product is authentic. Even better, right after the customer has scanned. The brand triggers engagement with the customer by providing product provenance information, the story of it’s maker, and offering similar products to the one the customer has purchased.Therefore creating a moment of trust between the customer and the brand.
A driver of innovation for logistics
The packaging industry has undergone a major shift with the introduction of smart packaging. This new technology creates opportunities for companies to interact more deeply than ever before through these innovative presentation and distribution channels. The technology smart packaging provides, gives your customers more opportunities to engage with you and build better customer relationships through an implemented customer interaction feature such as a serialised code on each of your products.
Smart Packaging from a customers perspective
Innovations in the field of smart packaging have opened up a wide range of opportunities to reach consumers and understand their needs. But what about willingness? Will they use these technologies or not?
Experts agree that the need for information will continue to increase and consumers are looking forward to a world where they can communicate more easily. Mindshare’s study “Everyday Connects” found very high levels of willingness among people who want smart packaging, but only if these features come with simple interaction methods through smartphones, without the need to install an app in advance.
Conclusion: Smart packaging is a better alternative to traditional packaging
The digital transformation has created an environment where it’s not just what you do, but also how. The packaging of goods and services is no exception to this trend; however, Smart Packaging can help your company stand out among competitors by creating eye-catching products which also provide added value for customers; this will ultimately lead them back to spending more money with you!
