Drinks Packaging Insight

The drinks market globally is one of the most lucrative if done correctly and your drinks packaging is essential. While there are many different areas within this market and there are regional differences based on domestic legislation and consumer tastes and demands, it is highly profitable and can provide sellers with a solid return on investment. 

Drinks packaging when it comes to the drinks market can be split across 2 main areas. Those are soft drinks including juices, milkshakes and smoothies and alcoholic drinks including beer, wines and spirits. 

We will start with soft drinks, and the market statistics globally. The soft drinks market is worth around £850b and is driven by some key markets. The USA, The European Union and China are markets of considerable interest. The biggest players in the field – Coca Cola and PepsiCo who are soft drink manufacturers, rather than a retailer. Business-wise, the segment is characterised by multinational brand players that mainly focus on product development, marketing and regional bottlers that licence their brands for distribution in selected areas. 

There is also considerable demand for niche products, indie brands, craft brewers & artisan producers. Especially if these products are local and have heritage behind them. The main point to highlight in the soft drinks market is that even though large organisations dominate from a brand point of view they do not operate in a retail setting. While you will find POS, in store, the business model is crafted towards licensing or wholesale production. 

How does this benefit you? Retailers are always looking for new products which can drive customer acquisition. They will base the decision on the product’s quality, how it looks, retail margins etc. Your drinks packaging plays an important role in grabbing the attention of the big retailers such as Tesco, Sainsbury’s & Asda as well as luxury locations such as Selfridges and Harvey Nichols. 

Navigating the different options available to you can be difficult and sometimes an off the shelf solution just wont work. Our experienced team can guide you with this and craft a solution which works for you as a business, your consumer and just as importantly the retailer who will be selling your products. 

Another interesting point to note on the soft drinks market is the lack of online presence from creators. Online shopping for food and drink has been dominated by the large retailers who offer products in conjunction with other items. There is massive growth potential from an omni channel strategy when it comes to marketing your drinks. Again, our team has a wealth of knowledge when it comes to the omni channel marketing and are always willing to have an open and frank discussion on how to proceed. 

Now, we move to the alcoholic drinks market which is slightly smaller but does have differences in how it operates mostly down to consumer tastes, trade barriers and legislation. The first glaring difference is the age barrier. In the USA the legal age to drink is 21, in the UK 18, The European Union median age is 18 as is China. While these age restrictions create a barrier to entry the price point of the product is much higher. 

Another large difference in the alcoholic drinks market is where the product is consumed. By 2027, 42% of spending and 25% of volume consumption in the Alcoholic Drinks market will be attributable to out-of-home consumption (e.g., in bars and restaurants). With the trend of retail dominating how we buy our beers, wines and spirits it is imperative to ensure that your drinks packaging is attention grabbing but also reflective of your brand. 

So how do you get your drinks noticed in a crowded retail space? The simple answer is partnering with a specialist who has delivered many successful products to market. Packaging may sometimes seem like an afterthought but it is the front face of your brand and the first real interaction your customers have with your products. At Amphorea we understand this and work to ensure that not only does your packaging exceed your requirement but it also holds your customer’s attention. 

Regardless of your requirements, at Amphorea we have an experienced team who have worked across all of the drinks industry. We are ready to elevate your brand and products to ensure that you capitalise on market share and increase revenue. Contact our experienced sales team now to find out more.

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