The Benefits of High-Visibility Packaging

High visibility packaging is one of the fastest-growing packaging formats because it offers two strong advantages at the store shelf. First, it addresses the marketing assumption that people who see a product will connect with it and become more likely to buy it. Secondly, some high-visibility structures also can deter theft, a significant concern for retailers. The Consumer Network reports that 12% of younger consumers and 20% of older consumers consider it "very important" to be able to see what is inside a package. If you add in the people who say it is "somewhat important," then having the product visible is a significant factor in as many as one-third of all packaged goods purchases. (Editor's Note: The Consumer Network is a Philadelphia-based research organization that focuses on how consumers interact with packaging and how packaging influences buying choices.) On the theft side, retailers put packages that deter theft high on their priority list because every dollar worth of goods that walks out the door under someone's coat comes right off the bottom line. Mark Doyle, vice president at Hayes International, a loss-prevention consultant, notes that net profits for retailers are as little as three cents on the dollar. "What that means," Doyle explains, "is that the retailer has to sell more than 20 items to make up for the one that was stolen." Clamshell blisters most popularOf all the packaging formats that deliver these advantages, the one getting the most attention right now is the clamshell blister. Driving growth of this format has been merchandising trends in club stores, where even high-value items such as tool kits appear in clamshell blisters. (See Tool Kit Blister Package and Nature Made Blister Package images.) This style of package consists of two hinged plastic segments. Although shapes can vary -- rectangular, shell, bubble -- they all are made of clear, tough plastics such as PVC or polyester. Almost all clamshell blisters have the two halves sealed to each other using what's called a radio-frequency seal; the segments are bonded together so well that it requires the consumer to cut the package open to remove the contents. The clamshells may approach 24 inches wide and may exceed 18 inches in height. The plastic materials add an eye-catching gloss that reflects store lights and attracts shopper attention. The most effective designs get display impact by adding four-color printed paperboard inserts to the blister. That adds color and sell copy that supports the product's value. A patented technology delivers more display impact to these packages. It marries the clamshell blisters with corrugated cases and trays with vertical slots cut into the insides. The clamshells fit into the slots so that they remain firmly upright. That way, even after consumers buy the first two or three packages, the remaining packages are upright, delivering the maximum display for the products inside. The format works especially well on pallet displays adapted for club store and superstore environments. They not only are appearing in club stores, but in "category killers" such as home centers and office supply centers. Packagers of larger, heavier and more costly products such as hardware, electronic products and cosmetics and toiletries are using this packaging format more and more. (U.S. Merchants Diversified Re-Packaging, Los Angeles, holds the patents.) Theft deterrence is a big plusAs much as retailers like clamshell blisters because they showcase the products inside, they also appreciate their ability to deter shoplifters. Simply put, clamshell blisters are hard to open -- so much so that they are the source of numerous complaints from consumers who have difficulty "breaking in" them at home. In the confines of the store, their toughness does a great job of deterring shoplifters. Oversized packages for small, high-value products make it difficult for consumers to hide them under clothing. And, with items such as tool kits, the blisters make it difficult to remove one or two items from the package. One example of how theft deterrence helps both the packager and the retailer comes from Coty, which put its Adidas cologne for women in a blister package. (See Adidas Blister Package image.) The package's first asset is the visibility it provides in high-volume retail outlets. Coty uses an iridescent film on the carton to improve the value perception. When the carton is placed inside a clamshell, consumers can still see the iridescent film. Because the clamshell is hard to open, it eliminates one theft strategy: removing bottles from cartons and leaving the empty cartons on the shelf. Because of the added security, Wal-Mart was able to move Adidas out from a locked display case and onto a shelf. With the switch to the tray, Coty increased sales in the line by 15% while reducing theft by 20%. Alternative sealing technologies exist to make blisters easier to open. Friction fit blister closures simply "snap" the pieces together, producing virtually no protection against theft. Staples also have been used to join two components, with some modest increase in security. However, these techniques are seldom seen in mass merchandising channels, where security is a particularly great concern. One contract packager who produces blister packages says, "It's been years since we've seen a friction fit or even a staple." The combination of shelf impact and theft resistance will continue to drive the growth of clamshell blisters. Recent research by the Fredonia Group says that clamshell blisters will be the fastest-growing segment among high visibility packaging, and is projected to grow at a rate of about 6.4% annually. Alternatives offer cost advantagesWhile clamshell blisters may be the most popular form of high-visibility packages, there are alternatives that, in many cases, offer significant cost advantages. One such alternative is skin packaging. This format relies on a tough, yet flexible film sealed to a stiff paperboard card. One example is the packaging for Coleman Collectible's line of key chains. The line is made of key chains with small, working replicas of lanterns, flashlights, and other popular outdoor items also manufactured by the Coleman Co., and is sold in several mass merchandise outlets including Wal-Mart, Ames, Target, Costco and Sam's Club. (See Coleman Skin Packaging image.) Although the key chains were selling successfully, Coleman needed a more secure, more cost-effective way to package them than the original blister packs. The company not only wanted to reduce costs but also to keep the small, button-style batteries included with the key chains from falling out of the package -- a flaw of the previous blister format. Coleman opted for a skin package. It relies on a substantial paperboard card (24-point paperboard) and a DuPont Surlyn film. The film has the clarity to showcase the product well. It is also tough enough to deter shoplifters because it uses a heavier gauge of film (four mils thick). The skin packages can be displayed both on power wings and clip strips for added impact in the store. Don't count out windowed packagesAnother high-visibility option is the windowed package. In paperboard cartons, in paper bags and in plastic bags, windows have been around for a long time and will continue to be an effective tactic because they let consumers see what's inside. One good example of a windowed package comes from Mission Foods in Irving, TX. The company started out as a local marketer of tortilla chips, using a paper bag with a window to let consumers see the product. The product's quality and the visibility the package offered increased sales enough to let the company take the brand into national distribution. To do so successfully, Mission needed to extend the product's shelf life. It achieved this by using a clear, oriented polypropylene film (made by ExxonMobil Chemical Co.) for an inner bag; the clear inner bag shows through a window cut into the outer paper bag. A glossy appearance to the film was important to Mission, so it decided to use an acrylic coating on the outside of the film. The paper bag is joined to the plastic liner with a hot-melt adhesive. (See Mission Foods Windowed Package.) Another recent development adds windows to metallized, all-plastic bags. It combines windows with the high-impact graphics that metallized film surfaces offer. One of the first applications of this development is for Toblerone Tiny Chocolates: The products are individually packed miniature versions of the popular triangular Toblerone chocolate bar. The Tiny Chocolates are sold in stand-up pouches that feature several highly transparent windows. (See Toblerone Metallized Bag.) Creating windows in a metallized film had been a complicated process that required removing the metallization in select areas; it created dirty wastewater and was not environmentally friendly. A new process, from Amcor Flexibles, creates the windows during the gravure printing process. A demetallizing agent reacts chemically with the metallic layer to create a transparent window and does not require the metal to be washed away. Because the windows can be "printed" during the printing process, it also allows intricate designs with multiple windows.

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