The 5 Latest Trends in Snack Food Packaging

Snack aisles are one of the most diverse sections of a store. For brands to stand out, innovations in their product packaging must be present to separate themselves from the competition. 

In the food industry, product packaging is as important as its contents. Excellent packaging can better market the product, prolong its shelf life, and protect it during transportation. Even labels on the packaging, such as on pack coupons, can give the product a competitive advantage and help boost sales. Staying updated with snack packaging trends can enable your business to refine its options and capture customers’ attention in stores. If you’re hoping to enhance your products through their packaging, read on to discover the food packaging solutions you should be aware of today.

The 5 Latest Trends in Snack Food Packaging

Research and awareness are essential for determining the best packaging design for your products. The following list covers trends in design, manufacturing, sustainability, technology, and other developments to aid you in your decision-making process.

1. Minimalist design

Minimalism has been an enduring and often preferred trend for a good reason. Consumers desire openness and honesty, particularly with manufacturing techniques and ingredients. Thus, when creating visually appealing packaging, applying less can mean more. 

The rising consumer preference for honest companies is especially relevant for firms jumping on the healthy food bandwagon. Thus, it’s not surprising to see minimalism as one of the most popular packaging trends. It portrays an image of simplicity and wholesomeness that companies seek to emulate.

Minimalistic designs eliminate extraneous components and concentrate on the product’s basic aspects and substance. Colors and fonts are the major emphases of this food packaging design, and reducing packaging to this level of stark simplicity is often considered a true art by marketing experts. The product is certain to appeal to customers when the forms, color, and text properly hit the right note with a target demographic.

2. Sustainable packaging

You may use your food packaging to encourage long-term sustainability while also helping the environment. The sustainable snack food packaging trend necessitates fewer natural resources, allowing businesses to continue producing product packaging at a lower cost and increase long-term stability. 

As scientists make significant discoveries in renewable and biodegradable packaging materials, many companies are trying to be environmentally conscious in their design decisions and waste reduction efforts. For instance, Frito-Lay has reduced packaging plastic by over 7.8 million pounds since 2019. By reusing cardboard five times to produce the Frito-Lay packaging, the company claims to have saved 2 million trees each year.

frito-lay packaging

Alternative materials, ranging from mushroom-based foam cushioning to algae-based polymers, could one day lead to a far more sustainable packaging sector. With that, more firms strive to make responsible decisions regarding packaging materials as customers become more environmentally conscious of their purchases.

3. Clean labels

Approximately 38% of consumers are ready to purchase a newly introduced product if it presents all the important information. Indeed, people are becoming more aware of what they consume. Although most food packaging offers complete information about its ingredients, reading its print with small sizes may be difficult to comprehend. 

Your business can use clear labeling and transparent packaging to clearly enumerate your products’ ingredients and contents. Additionally, clean labeling can help you improve your company’s reputation while also helping your prospects in constructing an informed purchase.

4. Smart packaging

You can incorporate technology into packaging to give consumers a more convenient, secure, and informative product. For instance, Near Field Communication (NFC) chips or printed Quick Response (QR) codes—often known as Smart Labels—are usually integrated into food containers or packs. They may be scanned with a gadget for additional product information.

Smart packaging also monitors a variety of characteristics such as pH, temperature, and fermentation to guarantee the flavor, freshness, and quality of a product.

5. Resealable packaging

Packaging is crucial in reducing food waste, particularly in snacks. Nothing is more frustrating than opening a new bag of chips or cereals only to have them go stale in two days. Reusable zipper tapes, adhesives, sliders, lidding films, and other materials may help. With these new forms of packaging design, consumers can maintain the freshness of snacks in their original container and avoid wasted food. 

Finding the Best Packaging

As a brand owner, it’s crucial to understand how current trends influence various sectors related to your business. Knowing trends will assist you in determining how your company can give you a competitive edge. With new food packaging trends emerging regularly, you can always try out new methods to make your product packaging more attractive and engaging for your target audience.

To discover more about what packaging best fits your company and bring your packaging to life with professional printing solutions, talk to Meyers professionals. Contact us now to boost your product’s packaging design.