Rethinking Your Personal Care Flexible Packaging as Consumer Habits Change
It’s obvious that the pandemic changed consumer shopping habits, but you might be surprised at how significant that change has been for personal care products.
The personal care and cosmetics market grew at a rate of around 7.5% in 2020 because of the increased awareness related to personal grooming. Much of that growth is coming from online purchases. Rather than physically going to stores, more and more people are buying more personal care products — including hair accessories, cosmetics, nail accessories and fragrances — online.
Increasingly, consumers are also looking for products in more convenient packages, specifically pouches. Shoppers want resealable packaging, because they like how easy it is to open, store and reseal. They also appreciate recyclable packaging. For brands, rigid paper containers offer a lot of shelf appeal.
As consumer purchasing habits change, it may be time to reevaluate your personal care packaging to better align with consumer expectations.
Increased Demand for Personal Care Products
In 2020, the home health care and personal care categories grew substantially. As salons, nail parlors and other health and beauty-related businesses closed their doors during the lockdown, shoppers turned to health and wellness and self-care products to recreate that experience at home.
This transition sent demand for health and wellness and self-care products soaring, especially online. First aid, hair and cosmetic accessories were some of the highest-selling nonedible e-commerce categories in 2020.
The shift to buying personal care items online is forcing brands to reconsider their packaging. Packaging that was designed to sit on a store shelf simply doesn’t have the same function or appeal when it arrives in a cardboard box at your front door.
For example, products that come packaged in hard-shell plastic — initially designed to reduce in-store theft — are hard to repackage for return. Moving away from plastic to more sustainable packaging alternatives, such as paper cans, can help brands be more efficient.
Increased Focus on Sustainability
65% of consumers want to have a positive impact on the environment. Shoppers — especially online shoppers — are demanding changes in the size of packaging as well as the package’s recyclability.
Sustainability is a priority for consumers, and they’re looking for packaging that’s suitable for recycling and able to be quickly separated.
Help consumers recycle as much as possible with paper can packaging can be curbside recycled and properly sorted into paper and metal material recycling streams.
Growing Demand for Paper Cans
Every year, consumers are looking for products that come packaged in paper cans. Today’s on-the-go consumers want packaging that easily closes, stores, open, carries and recycles. Resealable paper cans offer a light, portable option.
Consumers aren’t the only ones demanding paper solutions. Brands are launching new products and reimagining legacy ones in rigid paper containers, because they’re easier to recycle protect products from crushing in warehouses, during shipping and on store shelves.
Shifting Your Personal Care Packaging to Paper Cans
Paper cans give your consumers the conveniences they’re looking for while helping you meet your sustainability goals.
Are you ready to make the switch to more sustainable personal care packaging? Sonoco can help. Learn more about our more sustainable paper containers and how we can help you make the switch!