Product Packaging: Meaning, Levels and Functions

Most of us feel like we have some knowledge of product packaging. You probably come across packaging pretty much every day of your life in one way or another. There is much more to packaging than you might think, as we explore in this article.

What is Product Packaging?

The packaging is not just the wrapper with a brand name on, which comes with something you buy. It has far more functions than you might have imagined. Packaging design comes in many different forms and is to protect the product and inform the consumer as well as just being something to show you exactly what it is. In some industries, and with some specific products, packaging can be absolutely vital, it could even have legal implications. For instance, some products are required by law to display age suitability, health and safety warnings and who they are suitable for.

Product Packaging Levels

This is another term you may have heard but not fully understood. What are packaging levels? What is the difference between primary and secondary packaging and how do you identify which is which?

Primary

The primary packaging is the packaging that actually holds the product, it is the smallest part of the packaging. It comes into direct contact with whatever is in the package. For instance, this may be the plastic bag you find within a box of breakfast cereal. It comes into contact with the cereal.

Secondary

The secondary packaging protects the primary package or can group multiple primary packages together. For instance, using our cereal example, this would be the box. If the cereal contained a free toy for kids, the purpose of the secondary packaging would also be to group together the cereal and the toy. You may hear of the term “Tertiary” packaging, too. This is less common. It is the form of packaging that may be added by a retailer. For instance, if you buy something from Amazon, they may put it within their own box.

Product Packaging Functions

What are the functions of packaging? What does the packaging actually do? Is it even essential? There are four main functions of packaging.

Identification

Have you ever been abroad somewhere that they speak a different language and had to identify what you’re buying in the supermarket? The labels can usually help you to identify, whether it is brand names or just photos. A juice carton with oranges on it is probably orange juice!rnIdentification can come in the form of words or pictures. It can tell you everything from the flavor of a product to whether it is gluten free or vegan friendly.

Protection

Naturally, a product that is transported from one location to another needs to be protected. The reasons we have multiple layers of packaging is often to keep the product properly protected. This can be bubble wrap, or just wrapping that ensures it doesn’t come into contact with the outside world or encourage pests.

Promotion

Your packaging can be promotional, too. A lot of companies view this as free advertising. Their packaging design is a way to build a brand, include their logo and make sure people get to know their products, what they are and what the brand offers.rnWhen you hear the term “promotion” in terms of packaging, you might think of things like 10% extra free stickers and coupons included within the packet, but actually, it can be as simple as advertising a new flavor or the features offered in the product within. Photographs are also often used to entice people, as they can’t actually see the product anymore.

Information

The packaging also provides a space for information to be provided. It may even be essential that this info is in place. If you are manufacturing food and drink, for instance, you may be legally obliged to put things like the nutritional information on the packaging, as well as any allergens.rnInformation such as how to contact the company who manufactured the product are often also included. As you can see, packaging plays a vital role and is far more than just something to wrap up or show off your product. There may even be legal restrictions to your packaging design.