2017 was a big year in the pet food packaging industry. With so many options available on the pet store shelves, pet food brands worked hard to differentiate themselves. As we move into the new year, it’s worthwhile for brands to take a look back at the trends we saw throughout 2017 so we can all make informed decisions in 2018.

The big moves that we saw in packaging this past year reflected concerns that have been building in the industry for years—designs that stand out, food safety, and sustainability. It’s safe to assume that this will remain a concern for most brands in 2018.

Pet Food Packaging Designs that Stand Out

To many marketers in the pet food industry, the shelves are starting to feel extremely crowded. Brands are looking for ways to make their products stand out as somehow unique, whether that’s from inventive designs enabled by advances in flexible packaging and printing technologies, or through convenience features such as advanced closure systems.

Recent developments in the flexographic printing industry have given brands room to be truly creative with how their products are displayed on store shelves. Best practices for flexographic printing have evolved to the point where it’s possible to combine visually striking designs with the cost advantages of flexo. Meanwhile, the pet food industry has started to incorporate convenience features such as common closures used in the snack food industry. Making changes like these can help your products stand out and make it more likely for a consumer to pick yours off a crowded shelf.

Safer Pet Food Packaging

Many pet food brands are struggling with maintaining consumer confidence in the quality and safety of their product. Even as many companies have been taking major strides to improve the quality and safety of their pet food, every product recall simply adds to the public’s perception of concerns about the quality and consistency of what they are buying for their pets.

As a result, brands that have been able to position themselves as safer than the competition saw market gains in 2017, and we will likely see this trend continue into 2018 and beyond. One of the most effective ways for brands to enhance their image of safety and quality is to promote themselves as a premium product with all the safeguards that label implies. Consumers not only think of premium pet foods as safer, but perceive them as higher quality and healthier for their pets.

Sustainable Pet Food Packaging

In 2017, consumers continued the trend of the last few years by becoming increasingly aware of and concerned with the waste and environmental impact of traditional packaging methods. When pet food brands allow consumers to make an environmentally friendly choice, we’ve seen in 2017 that this has been enough to influence their purchasing decisions.

For pet food brands that are hoping to be able to advertise sustainable practices in 2018, Emmerson Packaging’s PetPack-BDG™ biodegradable packaging is an excellent option. It’s a shelf-stable, high-quality pet food packaging option that enables brands to make a vast reduction in the size of their environmental footprint.

Here’s to Success in 2018

The pet food industry is still growing rapidly. If your brand is looking for a way to get an edge as we move into the new year, get in touch with Emmerson Packaging’s Project Central team. They can help guide you as you make packaging decisions to help your brand continue to experience growth in 2018, and for many years to come.