Metal and glass: the perfect match

While price and logic are key influencers of buying decisions, emotions play a critical role in the choices consumers make as well. But with a sea of similar products with similar features on the retail shelf, how does a brand effectively tap into that emotion and win the consumer over? One of the most effective strategies is to use innovative packaging to engage the senses.

Thanks to their inherent properties, the combination of metal closures and glass jars can stimulate all of the senses: sight, touch, sound, smell and taste. In addition to projecting a premium look on the shelf for everything from sauces to jams, and baby food to juices, products packaged in this format benefit from extended consumer interaction as they are reused over and over again.

Sight plays a leading role in impulse purchases and packaging plays into this by attracting attention at point of sale. The transparent nature of glass offers the added benefit of providing a window into the product inside and helping convey freshness and purity. But many food products are sold in similar packaging formats. As a result, the forward-facing image of the product becomes crucial, with pack format, cap type, label graphics and display trays all playing an important role.

The closure is another way to create differentiation. High-quality graphics are an obvious way to achieve visual impact, but the technology behind printing such graphics is anything but common. The recent introduction of special inks and varnishes, including matt, colour change and sparkle, allow brand owners to enhance the appearance of closures. Inks are also available for printing on the inside of closures, allowing brands to engage with consumers in new ways. In addition to graphics, brands can also choose from a variety of closure profiles. For example, a continuous thread closure gives a vintage, ‘home-made’ look, while a fluted cap enhances grip, and a deep skirt closure maximizes the surface available for decoration.

Once consumers are attracted to a product, the next instinct is to reach out and touch it. While a certain level of interaction occurs in the store, the vast majority of contact will come during use of the product.

Closures present a distinct opportunity to improve the overall brand experience and help build loyalty. After all, negative impressions or past experiences can alienate a potential customer, while a positive reaction can influence a repeat purchase.

Brands can approach this in two ways. One option is to incorporate special decorating techniques that enhance how the closure feels when touched, such as embossing or de-bossing. Another very important element is ease of opening. And while sound isn’t normally considered to be a big part of packaging – the distinctive “pop” when opening a jar for the first time immediately conveys security, freshness and quality.

Immediately after opening a jar, the sense of smell is engaged. For example, when opening a jar of pasta sauce, consumers smell the basil, onion and other ingredients used to make it.

The fundamental role of packaging is to preserve freshness, flavour and nutritional value, all of which contribute to products tasting their best. The combination of metal and glass is well suited for this task due to its ability to serve as a barrier against oxygen and other elements that may interfere with these important attributes.

The increased focus on environmental impact has led to the emergence of a sixth sense: responsibility. While only one factor in the decision to buy – with price, quality and availability being more important for most people – it is clear that consumers do think about the environmental and ethical aspects of their purchases.

Packaging is one important way brand owners can demonstrate their commitment to the environment to consumers, whether in terms of recyclability or reduced waste. Combining metal and glass can help brands deliver this message, thanks to the fact that containers can be reused once empty, and the sturdy nature of the format, eliminates the need for secondary packaging.

In addition to the environmental benefits offered by glass, metal has a great story to tell in terms of sustainability. It is 100% recyclable and can be continuously reused to form new consumer packaging with no degradation in performance and quality. In addition, recycling rates for metal and glass are the highest of all primary packaging materials in Europe, coming in at 70% and 62% respectively.

Successful brands deliver messages clearly and connect emotionally to motivate a purchase and encourage user loyalty. No medium is a more effective communicator for a brand than the package itself, thanks to its ability to appeal to all five senses and respond to consumer needs. Marrying metal closures with glass containers brings out the best of both materials and provides brand owners with a valuable tool to attract consumers – and keep them coming back for more.

Views expressed on this page are those of the author and may not be shared by this publication.

Contact

jason.hegarty@eur.crowncork.com