How to make your food and drink packaging work overseas

Britain has a fantastic reputation for quality products all over the world, and believe it or not, your food and drink items are in demand.  The UK has doubled it’s exports in the sector in the last 10 years and is confidently on track for faster expansion in 2016.  If you are looking to grow your business, there is untapped global potential that provide huge opportunities for your business.  We take a look at packaging design as part of your market research.

Indentifying a target market is the crucial first step in your export journey, but evaluating labelling and packaging design is a   key contributor to a successful export strategy in a new culture.  Labelling, packaging, materials and language  all need to be assessed before you can sell in European and international markets.

Cultural Factors Affecting the Design of the Label

Consider the name colour and the design of your product and whether this will appeal to your target market.  In some countries, colours can evoke different emotional reactions, or have a different meaning than here in the UK.  For example, France doesn’t share our idea that pink is for baby girls and blue is a masculine colour.  This is the same for shapes too; there may be a religious connotation associated with the design of your packaging that may affect sales.

Top Tip: the British flag is a symbol of quality and premium products all over the world.  If it fits with your brand, try using it in your product design or as a symbol on your packaging.

Translation and Information on the Label

You know exactly what the British government requires you to display on your label, but it’s likely to be different with each new market.  Once you’ve found out what extra information needs to appear on the label, such as certifications or nutritional information, your label can be translated into the local language ready for transportation. 

A great time and money saver is to  stick new labels over the top of your existing printed packaging for export   This of course does depend on the rest of your packaging and whether is fits with the market’s cultural norms.

Top tip: Never use Google Translate to translate your packaging and labels.  Finding a native speaker who understands local nuance is a much better investment of your time and money.

Product Claims and Sell By Dates

Although UK accreditation is a fantastic selling point here, it may not apply elsewhere, as overseas consumers may not recognise the certification or the governing body.  There will likely be differences in legislation for the sell by / use by / display until / best before sticker, and you need to ensure that you  legally comply with the market’s legislation. 

Top Tip: Bare in mind that shipping times will differ when trading abroad so don’t forget to change your “use by” dates accordingly.

Packaging Materials

It is important that the materials you use in your packaging meet local requirements, but sales will depend on whether the packaging type is accepted by your target customers too.  If you are targeting a certain demographic that happens to be environmentally conscious, then using too much packaging or not using recyclable materials may have a direct impact on your sales.

Tip: Ask yourself, is your packaging  robust enough for transport and potential rough handling? You wouldn’t want your lovely products squashed on arrival so your distributor can’t sell them!

Food safety standards and market entry requirements vary from market to market so it’s important to do your research before you start exporting.  Some non-EU markets require samples to be sent for testing, so ensure to include this in your budget.