Renewed Wellness with Reopening: Functional Foods are Here to Stay, and Your Brand Can Participate

Renewed Wellness with Reopening: Functional Foods are Here to Stay, and Your Brand Can Participate

The effects of COVID-19 on consumers’ nutritional priorities have sparked a renewed demand for functional elements in everyday products. Food brands today have the opportunity to participate in these trends by using package design to communicate multi-functional benefits, without needing to change product content. Using new and emerging ingredients gives a product a story, and that story allows it to stand out on the shelf.

COVID-19 Shifted the Focus

After experiencing the global COVID-19 pandemic, consumers have a heightened focus on their health and well-being. Concerns about health issues are on the rise, resulting in a fundamental shift in attitudes. In the long term, this drives demand for more innovative solutions in the health and wellness market. Research shows that 61% of global consumers are more conscious of the importance of a healthy lifestyle and 70% of global consumers state they will now be more attentive to natural ingredient claims.

Labels with Clear Credentials

These health-conscious consumers expect to see functional benefits communicated effectively on packaging. Due to the unfamiliarity of emerging ingredients, shoppers need on-pack images to gain comfort with their purchases. Packaging should also include an in-depth description of the specific health benefits and recommended usage of the product.

Clear communication also builds trust by being transparent with consumers. With 76% of shoppers prioritizing products that are 100% natural or free from artificial ingredients, and 55% looking for active ingredients they recognize, attention paid to these key label elements can draw in shoppers and help drive purchases.

Which Trending Wellness Benefit Can Your Brand Offer?

Use your package to capture the attention of today’s wellness-focused consumer. Look at these leading trends and consider if your brand has an added benefit to highlight on-pack.

1. Convenient Nutrition

Convenient packaging features such as easy-open, right-sizing, and reseal-it create convenient, snackable moments for vegetables and other nutrient dense foods. These packaging innovations make it easy for brand owners to help consumers integrate more healthy foods into their diets.

2. Protein & Probiotics

Protein and probiotic claims continue to win attention at the shelf. Consumers most often perceive high-protein foods to be healthy and satisfying, and almost half of them are choosing foods with better-for-you claims more often than a year ago. Protein content and other digestive claims continue to be a top purchase driving for many categories. If your product offers these digestive benefits, consider a graphic redesign to highlight them on pack.

3. Mood and Mind

Changing attitudes towards mental wellness, as well as added stressors over the past two years, have led consumers to search for solutions in their food and drink products. Shoppers are interested in seeing ingredients that promote calm, mood support, and sleep featured in their everyday products. Packaging formats such as stick packs and sachets offer a convenient way to incorporate these products into their daily consumption.

4. Immunity

Ingredients that naturally support immunity, are now being found in everyday categories, like coffee and tea, snack bars, and confectionery. These up-and-coming ingredients continue to gain popularity, as they help support the immune system. It’s estimated that the immunity boosting food market will be worth more than $1trn by 2023. Combined finishes using matte, gloss, or metallics create premium packaging that visually highlights natural ingredients and botanicals.

Recent events have not only brought a renewed approach to wellbeing, but also created opportunity in the market. These emerging trends have a bright future ahead. Are you getting the most out of your packaging, so your brand can reap the benefits?