Summer is right around the corner and that means it’s almost time for fun in the sun. Whether you’re hanging out in your garden with family or visiting your favourite pub with friends, nothing says summer quite like sipping on a refreshing cocktail. With ready-to-drink (RTD) cocktails, consumers don’t have to visit a fancy bar or be a cocktail master to enjoy their favourite drink at home.
RTD cocktails have had a huge impact when it comes to making life more convenient for consumers. With 37% of adults enjoying RTD alcoholic drinks in 2022 (Simpsons Beverages), there’s no denying that there’s a proven thirst for RTD products. Packaging for RTD cocktails plays a pivotal role in tempting buyers, with 31% of adults being swayed into buying an alcoholic drink if it has a visual ‘wow factor’ (Mintel). In this hyper competitive market, packaging has a huge impact on which RTD cocktails stand out on shelves and those left high and dry.
Packaging impacts perception
Ready-to-drink cocktails are hugely popular now, providing consumers with a quick and easy way to enjoy their favourite drinks ‘on the go’. Of the 46% of consumers who have cut back on spending in restaurants and cafés (FMCG Guru’s), almost half are on the hunt for premium treats at home, like RTD cocktails.
The taste of a cocktail is definitely important, but a lot of people overlook the power of RTD packaging which can shape how consumers see a product, and how they view the brand behind it. Packaging is often the first thing consumers notice, and good drinks packaging can sway them into picking a product, without having taken a sip. After all, 72% of shoppers are influenced by a product’s packaging design (Ipsos). That’s why at Saxon Packaging (part of the Smurfit Kappa Group), we know that packaging needs to find the perfect mix of being practical – consumers don’t want to be faced with leaks, spills, and damaged products – and conveying the right message about your brand and what it stands for.
Explore the new packaging we created for Arrowtown Drinks that helped to boost their brand awareness here.
Stand-out and share-worthy
With the right packaging, brands can make consumers feel as though they’re indulging in a luxurious and ‘fancy’ drinking experience, one that other products are unable to provide. Similarly, eye-catching packaging designs that grab consumers’ attention instore or online, makes sure that your products stand out from the crowd every time. Plus, with 87% of people now using social platforms when making a shopping decision, and with 55% of smartphone shoppers purchasing a product after seeing it on social media (Modern Retail), it’s essential that packaging is ‘share-worthy’ in the digital environment.
See how, as specialists in Litho printed packaging, we helped Corrigan’s Original position their RTD product as a premium choice in the market here.
Palette and planet-pleasing products
75% of consumers are more likely to purchase from brands that offer green or sustainable products (Deloitte), and consumers are more likely to view an eco-conscious brand positively. With this in mind, brands need to embrace sustainability this summer and make sure RTD packaging is giving eco-consumers exactly what they want.
Find out how our planet-friendly eCommerce packaging solution helped Niche Cocktails make their mark on the RTD cocktail market here.
Tasty touches to enhance the RTD experience
- Easy-to-open packaging – Consumers value convenience, especially with RTD cocktails. Easy-to-open, ready-to-drink packaging ensures a simple drinking experience for all. Consumers want to enjoy RTD cocktails wherever they are, whether soaking up the sun or on the go, without worrying about fiddly openings.
- Product protection – Product protection is a design element that should not be overlooked. RTD cocktails must be protected from external factors – such as light, moisture and temperature changes – to maintain flavour and quality, ensuring that products arrive as expected at customers’ doors or onto shop shelves. The chosen packaging materials must safeguard the product, ensuring consumers get an unbeatable drinking experience, just like you intended, every time.
- Space-saving designs – The use of space is important for storage and transportation. A can packaging box should find a balance between maximising product volume and optimising shelf space while keeping a brand’s carbon footprint and shipping costs low. Space-saving designs also enhance consumer convenience, making it easy to store RTD cocktails at home.
- Supply chain efficiency – Packaging that is durable and easy to store, handling various stages of the supply chain, reducing the risk of damage or loss during transit. Optimising packaging for supply chain efficiency contributes to cost savings – something we recently helped Edmunds Cocktails achieve – and ensures that RTD cocktails reach consumers in perfect condition. Our ISTA Testing Lab helps our customers by testing their packaging for supply chain efficiency before committing to the final packaging design.
If you’re in need of RTD cocktail packaging that will turn heads this summer, get in touch today!
