European Brand Owners' Packaging Needs Addressed

WEYMOUTH, MA—December 11, 2013—Printed packaging and labels are critical to brand management for makers of consumer goods, so meeting the needs of brand owners is the core objective of package and label printing. Nowhere is that more true than in Europe, the rich, varied market that leads the world in packaging innovation. InfoTrends' recently completed study, "Packaging and the Brand Owner: Europe" reveals European brand owners’ views on key issues around printing of packaging and labels, including future needs, and offers valuable insights to suppliers of print technology and their converter customers.

The report gives statistical insights about the widespread trend among brand owners in Europe to manufacture and package short runs of products, a trend that is growing because brand owners need to target markets precisely and efficiently. The new report is based on a survey of 250 brand owners in food, beverage, health and beauty and other vertical industries, as well as 100 packaging and label converters that serve such companies. Brand owners in Europe expect their printing of short runs of folding cartons, flexible packaging and labels will all grow over the next two years—on average from 27 percent to 32 percent, depending on the application. One key finding: While less than 10 percent of European brand owners expect 0 percent growth in their short run package volume over the next two years, around 25 percent of brand owners expect their short run package volume will grow by 50 percent or more in the same interval.

Brand owners in Europe have a high need to engage groups of consumers and even individuals, needs that digital printing can help address with intensive versioning of print or even personalization. "One other key finding of the research," said Bob Leahey, the report’s author, "is that brand owners in Europe are willing to pay extra for many of the services that digital printing is uniquely able to provide."

InfoTrends' "Packaging and the Brand Owner: Europe" gives insight into European brand owners’ opinions about the printing of consumer packaging and labels, and about how those opinions indicate current and future needs that digital printing technologies can address. This study also addresses:

• Awareness of print technologies
• Availability and use of color digital printing
• Concerns about digital versus conventional
• Role and nature of short runs of packaging and labels
• Sustainability as it relates to media and other aspects of printing
• Role and potential role of variable data printing
• Who or what influences brand owners’ opinions
• Factors affecting the selling of print services for packaging and labels
• Factors affecting wishes for future printing capabilities

Click here to listen to an exclusive InfoCast that discusses key highlights from the study.

For more information on this study, please view InfoTrends' online brochure or contact Scott Phinney at (781)616-2123 or scott.phinney@infotrends.com.

About InfoTrends
InfoTrends, a Questex company, is a leading worldwide market research and strategic consulting firm for the digital imaging and document solutions industry. It provides research, analysis, forecasts and advice to help clients understand market trends, identify opportunities and develop strategies to grow their businesses.

Source: InfoTrends.