Easter bunny beats Father Christmas

April 2015 – Representative surveys have shown that 90 per cent of German citizens give Easter presents to their near and dear ones – preferably with something special and edible in innovative packaging and in a seasonal design. The packaging industry has understood this need for special items and has again created a range of colourful and unusual packages for the holiday season in April.

Nearly 140 million chocolate bunnies are regularly enjoyed by German households – and indeed just over a whole kilogram of this popular brown delicacy per household. This is more than half the annual average. It means that those sugary long-eared creatures are produced around 50 million times and have therefore overtaken their equally tasty colleagues, i.e. Father Christmases – not counting exports to other countries. What matters to the customer during the holiday season is above all the packaging.

What makes special packaging particularly attractive to customers is the feeling that such seasonal products are only available for a short period of time. This applies especially to confectionery products, as they are considered to be ideal gifts. People feel they want to give someone a bit of pleasure, but that it should really be something special. Moreover, they are quite happy to pay a little more even if they know perfectly well that standard confectionery is available throughout the year and the only factors that turn those items into more costly seasonal gems are the choice of material and the design.

For the packaging industry this means keeping an ear to the ground at all times and developing creative ideas that will keep them ahead of the competition. The golden Lindt bunny has long ceased to be the only ‘animal print’ that moves from the shop shelf to people’s mouths in April. Milka, Ritter Sport, Ferrero and Nestlé are just some of the brands that offer a choice of witty, child-friendly and in particular also stylish Easter packaging designs.

Efficient packaging solutions are an absolute must for the fast-moving market of special confectionery items, requiring an eye for the entire supply chain, from production to storage. For the young target group of buyers the seasonal packaging now also contains various interactive elements. Technology makes it possible to scan in a QR code on the box or foil and then to download apps with the latest computer games or to take part in competitions.