Introduction to supplement packaging
The supplement industry is incredibly diverse, with thousands of different ingredients and hundreds of product goals. One thing that every supplement has though, is packaging. In this blog we will dive into what packaging options are available and how they can enhance your supplements.
Why is packaging important?
Packaging can be easily overlooked when creating a supplement as they are usually created with their effects as the focus. However, when your customers are looking through e-commerce platforms, or the shelves of a brick and mortar shop then they will notice your product from the packaging, not the ingredients.
As a result, your packaging is one of the most important factors that contribute to the success of your brand. If your product doesn’t stand out and isn’t recognisable, then your customers won’t find it.
What supplement packaging options do you have?
Now that we have established that packaging is important for your brand, we need to look at what options you have. There are three overarching types of packaging that supplements tend to come in. Each one has options within it to allow greater customisation.
Tubs
Tubs are the most common packaging type across the industry due to their ease of packing, sealing and relatively cheap cost. There are a number of different varieties of tubs, each with their own pros and cons.
- PET: PET stands for Polyethylene terephthalate which is a form of polyester. These recyclable tubs come in a wide variety of sizes and colours which allow you to give your products whatever look you want. While they are durable enough to protect your products, the surface of PET tubs can be scratched and scuffed relatively easily.
- HDPE: HDPE stands for High Density Polyethylene which is a thermoplastic with a high strength-to-density ratio. This means that these tubs are very durable and versatile. However, there are fewer colour options available for HDPE tubs. As a result, you may be a little limited in the aesthetic of your products.
- Glass: Glass jars are seen as a more traditional packaging option by a lot of people, and are also viewed as being more environmentally friendly because many will recognise glass as recyclable. While PET and HDPE tubs are just as recyclable as glass, there is a lot of value in perception when it comes to marketing. If you want your customers to feel that your brand is conscious of the environment then using glass can help. Glass is obviously a little more fragile than plastic, and the colour options are much more limited.
Pouches
Pouches are increasing in popularity in the supplement industry, particularly in the active nutrition space. They can be made from different materials, with recyclable kraft pouches being popular for environmentally conscious brands. They are lightweight and can accommodate much more printed space. This means there is more room for you to sell your product.
While pouches have the benefits of large amounts of printing space and a lower chance of being scratched or scuffed they are more difficult to pack supplements into. This can result in higher costs at the packing stage and a higher amount of waste.
Want to sell your own supplements?
Roundpackers
While very similar to tubs, roundpackers have a wider neck allowing a scoop to fit into the pot. Roundpackers are available in all of the same materials as tubs. As a result, they have the same benefits, but can sit at a slightly higher price point due to larger lids being needed.
Other
While pouches and tubs are the most popular packaging options in the supplement industry, there are a plethora of other options that could be right for you. From blister packs to cardboard tubes, brands spend significant amounts of time and money developing the right packaging for them.
Labels
Labels are a vital part of your packaging and are the easiest way to visually set your brand apart from your competitors. If your product is in PET tubs, the chances are that 90% of your competition are also using PET tubs. While there are different tub and lid colours available, often the only thing that is visually different is the labels.
Label art is a skill and there are specialist graphic designers who do nothing but design supplement labels. While the branding is vital, there are also numerous label requirements in order for a label to be legally compliant. For more information, have a read of our blog on what information you should include on your supplement labels.
Conclusion
Packaging is one of the most important aspects of your supplement and shouldn’t be overlooked. Customers will only see your products because of the packaging, so make informed and deliberate choices about the packaging that you use. From the type of packaging used to the colours and the content of the label, be conscious of why you make the choices that you do so that you can be confident in your packaging and how it affects your product.
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