From convenience and sustainability to product integration, Beautyworld Middle East takes a look at the latest packaging solutions and trends in the beauty industry.
In today’s fast-paced world, business is becoming increasingly competitive and brands must really stand out from the crowd if they are to succeed. Within the beauty and personal care sector packaging, distribution, formulation and marketing are all equally important aspects in a product’s success. Here we take a look at how personal care packaging is evolving to meet consumer demands for convenience, sustainability and integration.
According to recent figures from across a range of market research providers, the personal care packaging industry is forecast to be worth between circa USD 20 and 22 billion (bn) and set to grow to between USD 28 and 30 bn in the coming years. With a direct link to trends and growth prospects in the beauty and personal care sector in general, personal care packaging innovations are growing in importance as brands look to cater to consumer’s changing lifestyles and increasing disposable incomes in today’s fast-paced world.
1) Sustainability
It is no secret that the beauty and personal care sector is not known for its environmentally-friendly nature. In the past, the industry has been maimed with bulky and oftentimes unnecessary packaging and many would say it is a sector which still has a long way to go in terms of reducing its environmental footprint, from its formulations through to its packaging solutions.
With environmental concerns quickly moving to the top of consumers’ buying priorities, packaging and goods manufacturers have to rethink their product offerings and research ways in which they can reduce their environmental footprint. From the use of recycled plastics and other environmentally-friendly materials to taking a more minimal approach in product packaging solutions, strides are being made.
Consumers are sure to continue to push the sustainability agenda and global players in personal care packaging must listen to these consumer demands.
2) Convenience
Packaging solutions must fit consumers’ hectic lifestyles. As a result personal care packaging is getting smaller and single portion products are gaining traction. This is also driven by airport security checks which require liquids to be 100 ml or less as well as the need to keep checked in luggage to a minimum so as to avoid additional baggage charges. Smaller options which are easy to transport are becoming favoured choices and also mean that consumers can trial a number of beauty and personal care products simultaneously without worrying about excessive costs or waste.
3) Integration
The beauty and personal care sector is embracing product integration, a technique that is proving particularly popular within the skin care and cosmetics sectors. Many brands now run promotions that offer a travel-size product packaged with a primary purchase, usually of a complementary cream or cosmetic. Consumers value these add-ons and for manufacturers it is another way of promoting the use of a lesser known product or formula.
New product innovations within skin care are giving rise to creams that contain two different elixirs which are stored separately, but used together in different quantities. The integration technique is useful for marketing such dual creams. Similar to this is the dual stick concept which allows manufacturers to combine two different formulations into one pack such as dual lipsticks or concealer and BB cream packaged together.
The bottom line
From sustainability to convenience and integration, it is certain that manufacturers in the beauty and personal care sector will have to continue to refine their packaging solutions to suit the demands of today’s discerning consumer.