Do you want to create skin care packaging that can make transportation much easier for you, and helps the retailer’s operational processes? Creating such a shelf presence can take years to perfect and many brands have specialists that create marketing and distribution practices and strategies that make that happen. If you want your products to land in a retail setting as soon as they are manufactured and packed, you will need to create shelf ready cartons that provide functionality, mobility and better transportability.
Shelf-ready packaging (SRP) is also known as retail-ready packaging (RRP). The last decade saw a steep rise in the adoption of SRP and Australian retailers have been making a gradual change to provide their consumers with improved on-shelf availability. Stock rotations can be faster this way, and can induce faster shelf replenishments and reduction in waste.
This not only benefits the retailers but also the brands who dedicate their energy into reproducing products at an accelerated pace to ensure that the sales density remains constant and high. This is not the only thing that appeals to the retailers.
Skin care brands can use SRP to safeguard their products through the retail supply chain and to ensure that their product maintains its attractiveness until they are ready to be put on the shelves. You wouldn’t want a product with a tattered box torn from the sides, spillage and any other problem that will put off consumers from buying your product.
To create skin care products that are shelf-ready and have a dominant and accentuated shelf presence, you will need to follow these guidelines:-
Your product must be
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Easy To Identify
The package design should be unique enough to be easily identifiable through the supply chain and companies should use the GS1 specifications which should be printed on at least two sides of the carton. The carton should also be sturdy and strong enough to retain its shape and not crush the products if it falls, or is handled roughly.
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Easy To Open
The retailer’s value products that are easy to open in a short amount of time. The easiest retail formats are the hoods, trays or boxes with finger holes. The perforation should be able to tear easily without the use of a cutter and the use of tape and strapping should be minimized.
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Easy To Replenish
A shelf ready unit of a skin care product should be easily replenished. It should be packaged in such a way that it is easy to store; so no crazy box shapes, ok? Another thing that your packaging must achieve is stability and durability to make it easily transferable in boxes from production to distribution to sales and then, to the shelves in a retail setting. Simple shapes, like squares or rectangles, mean that a number of packages can easily be transported in a box at a time.
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Easy To Shop
It should be easy for the consumer to choose your product. This means that the product description, your brand and product name, and the units of measurement should be easily readable and identifiable. The visibility of information is essential as this will allow the retailer to stock, replace and replenish the product. The product should be unique and identifiable enough to stand out on a shelf of dozens of other skin care products. Remember; visual branding depends on your presentation quality and torn cardboard boxes are not going to do that for you.
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Easy to Recycle and Dispose Of
Shelf-ready packaging must follow standard guidelines that state that your product should have a cardboard or plastic covering that can be easily peeled away for efficient recycling and disposal. The correct recycling logo should be printed on each package, and companies should avoid any excessive and frivolously useless packaging layers.
So now we have the external packaging dealt with to satisfy the retailers. Something to remember when you are a skincare brand, in order to get the maximum shelf presence, you must remember that retailers are in the business of selling shelf real estate to you. They do charge more for eye level space and less for above and below eye level, it is therefore really important to maximise your packaging to create a brand block of your products, no matter what level of shelf you are on.
Over the years we have worked with hair care, skin care and pet care brands, all with the same endgame in mind to make the packaging have the most shelf impact in the category and still meet the functionality requirements for the retailers. Bottom line: if it is easy for them to range, and sales are good, they will want you to be in prime positions to drive more sales for all.
As always, don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or send me an email. I will be happy to have a chat regarding your packaging issues.