As time passes, demographics – or structures of populations – tend to evolve. Just as more women started working during World War II and more young adults started attending college in the 1990’s, current demographics now demonstrate that more people live alone, less couples are married, and household size is shrinking. These changes do more than impact the census, though. Since household trends influence eating behaviors, studies show that more meals are now being eaten alone and people are snacking more than ever before. Such behavior directly sways how food and beverage companies need to package their items to maximize sales by adjusting to consumer attitudes and behaviors.
Millennials: This group is most likely to seek fresh, unprocessed foods. They shop around the perimeter of the store to access the non-packaged foods, and stray away from greasy fast-food chains.
Smaller Packages: Those bags of tater tots that feed twelve people aren’t selling as quickly as they once did. The increase in small households has generated an increased demand for single-serve packages and meals for two. Resealable packages are also much more sought after.
Convenience: Everyone is always on the run, it seems. People want to purchase foods and beverages that are easy to open, resealable, portable, lightweight, and clean.
Transparency: Government and corporate transparency isn’t the only honesty being demanded. See-through packaging has been shown to boost sales since consumers want to know how food and beverages are produced. Companies that are open and honest about their ingredients, sourcing, and business practices are quick to earn consumer trust.
Eco-Friendly: We have definitely entered the generation of environmental awareness, and the most successful packaging is often the kind that incorporates sustainability into the brand. A perfect example of this can be seen with the widely successful single-cup brew market, which has adapted to more environmentally friendly designs over the years.
Packaging choices are anything but random. Demographic habits, trends, and growth all dictate how companies need to package their products to achieve maximum sales and make customers as happy as possible.