Improving consumer's experience

Ensure consumers have easy access to the contents: easy opening cans are the norm for European consumers. Over 90 percent of cans in Europe come with an easy opening system. Can you think of new systems which improve the opening experience or how the contents are extracted and handled? It could be a general system or one tailor-designed for a specific food product.

Portion control and avoiding food waste: when you open a can of vegetables you might not want to use it all. But what do you do with the leftovers? How can you ensure the remaining food is preserved? And how can you control the exact amount you use? Think about resealable packaging, mono-portions assembled together, squeezable packaging, or other solutions.

Easier disposal: empty cans take up volume in waste systems, particularly in the home. Why not make it compactable to reduce the volume? Help the consumer recycle without stress by making what's big smaller!

Better fit for new lifestyles

On-the go products & ready meals:  packaging offers various ways to consume food without compromising on pleasure or taste, for individual and rapid consumption. You may have already eaten a fish-based salad or a creamy dessert directly from the steel bowl, haven’t you?

You fancy something warm? Explore the possibilities of self-heating products or packaging which is ready to heat. You might not be aware, but steel is also microwaveable. However the food is heated evenly from the top down as the microwaves cannot penetrate the metal.

Smart packaging: consumers increasingly lead digital lifestyles. Using technological tools and digital platforms (perhaps activated via the packaging), producers have the power to engage more directly with the consumer. The possibilities of smart packaging are endless. Whether it's communicating meaningful data to shoppers or teasing a curious mind with fun activities. How can smart technology be used to influence purchasing decisions? And what form would it take?

Online shopping: e-commerce is a booming distribution channel for everything we consume including food products. But packaging is not yet optimized for this market. Remember your last online purchase and how your shopping experience was different. The packaging is still the main support for marketing, but you can only touch it with you eyes. What changes would you make to meet the needs of online consumers? And don't forget that shipping requires primary and secondary packaging which is disposable. Why all the waste?

Make it stand out

Shapes:  Steel packaging can come in almost any shape or size. Round, rectangular, oval, bowl-shaped, plate-shaped, box-shaped...the possibilities are endless. Shapes can be functional or they can convey a specific feeling to a target audience - or they can be both.

Surfaces: packaging uses colours, graphics, tactility, or multisensory finishes to add value to the product and entice the consumer. Play it cool, make it chic, it’s up to you.