PET Food Processing - December 2018 - 49

like friends, engaging with them in an open and authentic
way. Consumers are also seeking out products that communicate local, small-scale or homemade production.
Authentic, simple recipes accompanied by low-tech style
and handcrafted designs make the most of this trend.
Visually, this means packages will take on a look that
invokes nostalgia and crafts. Designs that feel refreshingly honest - think modern thrift and vintage fabrics
and colors - can capture the essence of this trend. Look
to everyday household objects that can be transformed
into patterns; play with scale, bright colors and light contrasting backgrounds. Mixes of photography and hand
sketches also play into this style. It can be especially
impactful for pet food brands that are striving to
create healthy, simple products that mimic homecooked meals made with nutritious, whole ingredients
such as fresh meats and vegetables.

Origin and trust = transparency and
authenticity
Around the world, consumers have a growing desire to
purchase from brands they trust and expect them to be
transparent about what goes into making their food. This
is driven by many factors: concerns about food safety, how
the food they eat arrives at their table, the environmental
impact of the product, and a demand for ethical behavior
and more information about how their food was made.
As a part of this trend, brands and products are not
simply expected to be good - they are also expected to
do good. Consumers are choosing to support brands
that serve the greater good. According to Nielsen, 66%
of global consumers say they're willing to pay more for
sustainable brands, with 73% of millennials willing to
pay extra for sustainable offerings. For pet food specifically, Mintel found that 38% of consumers age 18 to 34
said one of their biggest pet food purchase influencing
factors was the use of natural ingredients, and 30% said
organic ingredients influenced their purchases.
The right design can help build trust and a sense of
transparency, reassuring consumers the product is a
safe, ethical and nutritious option for their pets. For
example, where ingredients were sourced can be
addressed with a map or flag of the country of origin.
Special certification seals, such as USDA Organic or nonGMO, can be featured on the front of the package. The
package design can also be leveraged to communicate
other details about how the product was made, such as
being free of preservatives or minimally processed, which
may be helpful to pet owners as they consider products.

physical wellbeing. This elevation of personal health
and wellbeing is an increasingly important part of their
image, impacting social interactions, new experiences
and purchasing decisions.
According to Nielsen, consumers are looking for
functional foods that can either reduce their risk of
disease and/or promote good health. Taking this a step
further, Roper Reports Worldwide found that 45% of
consumers look for products that are fortified with
vitamins or minerals.
Dedicated pet owners are bringing the same set of
values to the diets of their four-legged friends, which is
reflected in the rise of functional claims in the pet food
aisle. In 2017 in the United Kingdom, 25% of new pet
food product launches made claims about digestive and
urinary tract health, up 10% from 2014.
As pet parents continue to treat their pets like members
of the family, it will become increasingly important that
they see the values they're looking for in their own food
and beverages when shopping for pet food. Pet food brands
can seize on this opportunity to inject new, creative design
aesthetics into their packaging in a way that speaks to
these needs, and they can make sure that consumers feel
good about their pet food choice well after Fido or Fluffy
has finished dinner by making packaging from renewable,
sustainable materials that are easy to recycle.
PFP

Natural landscapes
in a package design
can speak to the
consumers' desires
for a sustainable
lifestyle.
Champion Petfoods

Neo health = healthy balance
Modern consumers are taking a holistic view of their
health by looking at their psychological as well as their

Pedro Gonçalves is vice president of marketing for Tetra
Pak US and Canada.

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PET Food Processing - December 2018

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