Packaging is seen as the new value differentiator by FMCG (fast moving consumer goods) players in India, according to global consumer research firm Datamonitor.
The Innovations in Packaging – Emerging Opportunities in the Indian Food Industry report analysed various packaging trends and found four main innovation drivers:
- convenience of usage
- freshness and improved shelf life
- sustainable and environment-friendly, and
- packaging as a tool to position and promotes the brand.
Pinaki Mukherjee, Datamonitor’s lead consumer consultant, says packaging innovation in the food sector has evolved in line with consumption patterns.
“It is expected to be only a matter of time before Indian FMCG market would be filled with products using advanced packaging technologies, primarily aimed at enhancing the shelf life of the products and to offer additional convenience to the consumers in terms of storage, consumption and portioning,” he added.
Mukherjee also saw an evolution in the use of packaging for marketing: “Traditionally, product packaging has not been seen as a vehicle to promote the brand, while it is changing now.”
