Facts You Didn’t Know About Product Packaging

Packaging does a lot more than you might think for consumers, small businesses, and massive industries. Here are a few fun facts you didn’t know about product packaging to blow your mind and, hopefully, give you a greater understanding of packaging’s role in your life.

The Agriculture Industry Is the Cardboard King

When you think about cardboard packaging, you probably picture the boxes used to ship online goods to consumers nationwide. While online retailers use tons of cardboard to ship their products, no one uses more than the agriculture industry. Almost half of all cardboard boxes made in the United States are used to transport fruits and veggies from farms to grocery stores.

People Prefer Paper

Cost isn’t the only reason most products you see at the grocery store are packaged in paper or cardboard instead of plastic. A national poll revealed that 63 percent of US citizens think paper packaging makes a product seem higher quality. Additionally, 69 percent of Americans believe that paper packaging makes an item feel more authentic.

We can debate all day whether this opinion comes from some innate feeling, or it’s been fostered by years of experiencing products packaged in paper, but one thing’s for sure: people prefer paper packaging.

Design Impacts Psychology

Never underestimate the importance of design. Participants in a 2015 study agreed that products packaged with green colors seemed healthier than alternatives and concluded that a product seemed healthier when there was more text on the package.

The next time you go to the grocery store, take stock of the items in your cart. Do they share any design similarities, and do the graphics make you feel any way about the products?

Small-Run Packaging Is Better for Small Businesses

Small-run packaging is the way to go for the small businesses that want to professionally package their goods without paying a premium. Printing thousands of packaging units is feasible for large companies, but small-run packaging allows small outfits to print only what they need, resulting in less waste and more savings.

With these facts you didn’t know about product packaging, we hope you can see how crucial it is in more ways than you’d think!