In our previous blog, we identified opportunities which may stem from the upcoming Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR). It’s clear that the packaging industry stands on the brink of significant change and at White Space Strategy, we’ve been helping our clients get ready for these changes. Reusable packaging is one of several changes. But with change, comes resistance – how can you ensure consumers are onboard?
The 4 to-dos:
- Convenience is King: The ultimate success of reusable packaging hinges on its user-friendliness. A solution that overly complicates the consumer’s experience or adds additional burdens on consumers is doomed to fail. As this survey finds, the culture of convenience is a major barrier to reusable adoption: 44% of consumers cite difficulty in remembering to bring reusable packaging and 39% worry about the hassle of returning, cleaning, or storing reusable packaging.
- Address Hygiene Concerns: Particularly for consumable products, maintaining stringent hygiene standards is a key concern of consumers. According to a Hubbub survey, nearly 40% of consumers express concerns over the cleanliness of reusable packaging. Assuaging these concerns is important; equally it is important to address the raft of questions that arise regarding the logistics of cleaning; who is responsible for cleaning? Who pays for this? Where/how are packaging returned or collected?
- Ensure Security for High-Value Items: The inherent design of reusable packaging, intended for repeated opening and closing, raises security concerns, especially for high-value e-commerce products e.g. apparel or electronics. Whilst innovations such as tamper-evident labels might offer a solution, ensuring that product security is built into the packaging design while also maintaining the packaging’s integrity for reuse is a key consideration.
- Keep it Affordable: Striking a balance between implementing these features and maintaining affordability poses a significant challenge. Almost a third of consumers are put off using reusable packaging because it might cost more. What incentives (or penalties) can you put in place to ensure packaging remains affordable?
Conclusions
It is clear that reusable packaging has a significant role to play in the future of packaging. As companies look to develop and trial this type of packaging, there are a plethora of questions to answer. We’ve seen firsthand how the right approach can turn challenges into opportunities.
If you’re developing a reusable packaging solution or have an ambition to do so, but are getting stuck with any of these questions please reach out to Sophie, to discuss how we could support your efforts.