What actually characterises the perfect packaging?
It’s impossible to answer this question in a general way. There are some basic functions packaging has to fulfil, like product protection, communication and convenience. These and other tasks are determined by the requirements of the product, placement at the POS, costs and necessary processing properties.
A production manager, for example, may care most about the package moving seamlessly through all production lines. But if you’re a buyer, price will play the far greater role. The logistics department may view stable stacking as important, while marketing prioritises a premium appearance. Consumers, in turn, really like to see natural materials being used.
A packaging solution can be developed to fulfil any of these desires, but every solution necessarily neglects the preferences of at least one other group. Some requirements even compete with each other. For example, packaging featuring high-quality finishes definitely won’t be inexpensive to purchase, but consumers will love it. Similarly, natural kraft paper won’t come with the barrier properties demanded by the production manager.
To me, an optimal solution represents the best compromise uniting all these aspects. The goal is to maximise the size of the intersection between all requirements. This compromise will differ from product to product and has to be revaluated on a case-by-case basis. This task is one of the services in pacproject’s portfolio.