Market Insights | Page 2

When it comes to making environmentally conscious decisions, the packaging industry is in a unique position. On one hand, there are many options for eco-friendly materials that can be used in packaging designs. On the other, many companies are hesitant to switch to more sustainable materials for fear they won't be able to meet performance and aesthetic demands.

Retail-ready packaging, also known as shelf-ready packaging, is a bit of a cheat code in the world of retail. It enables you to do a little less while ultimately gaining a bit more, which is something that’ll make any business owner’s ears perk up a bit.

For far too long, packaging had one job and one job only: protect the product. Not much mind was paid to what packaging looked like or how one felt when opening it for the first time. This approach led to designs that kept products safe while inflicting stress and anxiety upon the customer.

As 2021 winds down, we look forward with excitement at what’s to come. With a new year comes fresh new ideas in the packaging industry, and as a packaging solutions company, we keep a close eye on trends so we can best serve our customers.

For a prediction post, we suppose that does give us an unfair advantage — we’re bringing some insider knowledge to the table. But it’s our goal to have that knowledge benefit your business, enabling you to stay one step ahead of everyone else.

With that, we present our packaging predictions for 2022.

We’ve written before about what goes into the design of a package. In a well-thought out box or container, every element has a specific purpose. Perhaps you see that in the packaging your company uses now, and if so, that is fantastic. But what if you aren’t so happy with what you have at the moment? How could it improve?

There are a number of ways packaging can fall short. Below, we’ve laid out several areas you can focus on to ensure you have the best packaging possible.

These days, sustainable packaging is becoming more commonplace; so much so that you may not even realize you’re interacting with it. Companies like Amazon and Kellog’s have initiatives for sustainable packaging options. Your new Kindles come in this type of packaging, as do the cereals millions eat for breakfast each morning. What you may not know, however, is what exactly sustainable packaging design is.

As we continue to push forward from COVID, you'll need to handle increased omnichannel inventory management that keeps everything on the same page. See how we can help.

Retail is Surging in 2021

Earlier this summer, The National Retail Federation announced an updated annual forecast for 2021, which expects retail sales to grow between 10.5 percent and 13.5 percent to more than $4.44 trillion. The NRF’s original prediction was for 6.5 percent growth, so this revision shows that 2021 is poised to be a massive year for retail sales as the economy recovers from the pandemic.  

It’s not unusual for a business to hit a bottleneck. Sometimes, that bottleneck is demand that outstrips packaging capabilities. Enabling more growth means figuring out how to package and ship products more quickly. You could move people over to take care of this issue, but you’ll just be taking them away from doing other work.

When it comes to the design of packaging, most tend to think about appearance. After all, the outside of a box is what people see on a shelf at the store, or on their stoop after a delivery driver makes a visit. 

Simplifying Travel, Billing and Pricing While Staying on the Road More

At Victory Packaging, we go above and beyond to help moving companies of all shapes and sizes. Our Over the Road Driver Pick Up Program is designed to give you the infrastructure to improve efficiency and grow with your customers.