Packaging is one of the key factors that determine how consumers receive your brand. Your brand’s marketing strategy should include a strong focus on packaging, as it is one of the mediums through which you communicate your brand’s values and message. Brand owners and strategy teams should therefore be familiar with the different levels of packaging that influence how consumers receive and connect with their products. Greater awareness of the three levels of packaging – primary, secondary and tertiary- will help those working in shipping and logistics or in charge of ordering packaging materials cater more effectively towards the brand’s target user group.
Introducing primary, secondary and tertiary levels of packaging
Businesses must be aware of the nuances involved in packaging, including the three levels that make up a product's packaging. This allows them to identify the areas they wish to invest more in and create a cost-effective packaging strategy that meets the expectations of the target customer group. Packaging also helps protect products in transit while meeting essential business requirements, such as environmentally conscious production.
Especially for consumer goods, packaging is a key component of their marketing strategy. 70% of consumers form an impression of a brand from the packaging alone. Industry giants in various realms, from electronics and food and beverage to fashion, understand the importance of packaging design in creating a consistent, appealing brand image and voice, especially when aligning it with the preferences of target consumers. Packaging helps effectively position your product in the market by standing out from rivals with a distinct flavour. To have consistent brand messaging, each of these three packaging levels should be duly considered–
1. Primary packaging
Physical products like consumer goods require packaging primarily because they should reach people in their original, intact condition. Primary packaging, also called retail or consumer packaging, is the basic layer of packaging that protects the product from damage during transit and while retailers store it before customers buy it. Primary packaging also helps to preserve products, especially perishables and liquids, and makes them easier to handle during storage and transport.
Some examples of primary packaging include –
● Wrappers for chocolates, chips, biscuits or toffee
● Large boxes to store refrigerators, televisions or washing machines
● Bottles for packaged drinking water, soft drinks or fruit juice.
Primary packaging also serves as a medium for promotion and information. It names the product, identifies the brand it belongs to, explains how to use and store it, and lists its price and expiry date. It also carries basic branding graphics to appeal to the consumers. An experienced packaging company in Ahmedabad can help brands design creative, appealing primary packaging concepts that suit their target consumers' preferences.
2. Secondary packaging
Secondary packaging is designed to hold individual products that have already gone through the primary packaging process. The primary purpose of secondary packaging is to keep products together and organised during storage and transit through the supply chain. Cartons are commonly used as secondary packaging – think of a pouch containing a makeup kit, or a large box of candies. Bags, trays, plastic crates, and shrink wrap are some materials used in secondary packaging.
Secondary packaging should be stackable for efficient storage and transportation. In some cases, it is important to ensure both the primary and secondary packaging for a product is creatively designed, for example, with the box of chocolates, or a pack to hold a bottle of perfume.
3. Tertiary packaging
Tertiary packaging is mostly involved in the wholesale process. In these places, products are flat-packed in boxes and stacked on pallets. This is a third layer of packaging that protects products during transport or when stored in bulk, such as when they are stored in a shipping container.
Tertiary packaging is primarily designed for the convenience of manufacturers and warehouses and is therefore rarely seen by consumers. Common examples of tertiary packaging include pallets and crates, wraps, and large containers used for shipping.
FAQs
1. Why is packaging important for brands?
Packaging is a crucial element in the marketing strategy of brands as well as logistic departments, as they communicate a consistent brand image, appeal to the target consumers, while also protecting products in storage and transit.
2. What are the three levels of packaging?
The first level of packaging is primary packaging, which delivers the product in its original form to consumers. Then comes secondary packaging, which holds a bunch of products together, and tertiary packaging, which stacks products in warehouses and wholesale stores.
3. Which levels of packaging should appeal to consumers?
The levels of primary and secondary packaging should be creatively designed to align with the brand’s image and the target audience's preferences. This is because these are the packaging levels most commonly encountered by consumers when buying products.
Conclusion
Awareness of the different packaging levels used on products is important for business owners and logistics professionals to handle products more efficiently and effectively, and to appeal to target customers. While primary packaging plays a key role in communicating brand messages and values, secondary and tertiary packaging primarily focus on the efficient and safe storage and transit of products. All these levels come together to ensure that the products can move safely through the supply chain and reach the consumers in their original form.
