The vitamin and supplement market is a crowded marketplace, which is why it is vital that vitamin and supplement brands get innovative with their packaging. Unique packaging is a great way to differentiate your product and create supplements that draw shoppers’ eyes towards them. In a sea of products on the drugstore shelf, you want your packaging to be so attractive that shoppers reach towards it instead of the hundreds of other options.
So how do you do that? While there is never a black and white answer since all shoppers have different tastes and preferences, there are some tried and true suggestions that help manufacturers increase attention to their vitamins and supplements. Here are a few design ideas to incorporate into your vitamin and supplement range to help differentiate them from similar items on the shelf.
Eco-Friendly and Sustainable Packaging
It may be worth considering eco-friendly and sustainable packaging if you want to get noticed by customers. Several surveys have found that not only are people willing to pay more for sustainable packaging, some people go out of their way to buy sustainable products. A 2015 survey conducted by Nielsen found that over ⅔ of the people in the survey were willing to pay more for products that had sustainable goods. The number was higher for millennials – almost 75%. That means the key to marketing vitamins and supplements that stand out may simply be investing in the environment via responsible packaging practices.
It turns out that responsible manufacturing may help boost the profitability of goods. This is ironic since for a long time brands shied away from sustainability practices because of perceived risk to their bottom line. In fact, the opposite is true. A 2017 report by Barron’s found that the companies on the list of its most sustainable companies in the USA had an average share price of 29% compared to the average share price of 22% for the same year. In 2018 a very similar result was seen in the 2018 Global Sustainability Index Institute report. The bottom line – sustainable practices and packaging are good for your bottom line.
So how do you do this? Consider using 100% recycled materials to differentiate your packagings like cardboard or recycled plastic. Other options include seaweed or cornstarch packaging and biodegradable air peanuts. As the space grows there are more and more options making it possible for all vitamin and supplement companies to find the perfect match.
Differentiated Packaging Design
In addition to sustainable materials, a market-savvy product has a very differentiated design compared to other products in the same shelf space. It’s not hard to see why this is important. It’s the same reason why colorful candy sells better than white or black colored candy. People like products that immediately catch their eye and are more likely to remember and come back to products they physically picked up and investigated further.
Create something special with the look and feel of your packaging. Evaluate the entire design, shape, and form factor. Most vitamins and supplements come in a pill bottle, but that doesn’t mean your packaging has to be rectangular or a cylinder. Have some fun and create something that truly defines the spirit of your target audience. Be the “triangle” on the market. Not only will customers be able to find your product better but when they recommend it to friends and family general statements like “grab the triangle vitamin” will increase conversion rates. It doesn’t necessarily have to be the shape, but find that one design aspect that will differentiate your product and make it unique in a sea of competitors.
Connected Packaging
Today’s consumers want more than a product, they want an experience. They want to know everything about the company they are purchasing from and they want to find their place in the chain. A great example of this is Apple. Not only do you get the thrill of owning an Apple product when you purchase from the company, but you also get the signature white packaging, the story of one of America’s most innovative tech firms, and the satisfaction of complete integration. Everything about the experience is ethereal.
To be a successful vitamin and supplement producer, you want to try to capture some of that emotion. Connected packaging offers more than just a pill at the end of the day. It offers personal connection in advertising campaigns, authenticity, and a look into the product itself.
A product is only as good as its packaging
You can have the best supplements in the market, but if no one buys them their value won’t be high. The importance of proper packaging is well known and accepted. Companies invest millions into perfecting the design of their product packaging. Make sure your design offers something of value to the customer if you want to be a leading name on the shelf. What are you doing to make your supplement packaging standout? If you don’t have an answer, it may be time to revisit your packaging.
