Packaging in its natural environment: Sonoco at interpack 2017
Sonoco showcased the latest developments, like the WindowCan, in a living- space environment.
How does packaging win consumers over in everyday life? How does it immediately stand out on retail shelves? With a brand-new booth concept, Sonoco Consumer Products Europe provided answers to these questions at this year’s Interpack. From May 4 to 10, Sonoco showcased the latest developments, like the WindowCan, in a living- space environment.
“We had a lot of positive feedback on our booth, even from competitors. The design invited visitors to take a break from the trade fair’s hustle and bustle, and to examine our packaging solutions more closely.”
At its centrally located booth in hall 9, Sonoco served Bircher muesli from in-mould labelling (IML) plastic packaging in the kitchen area, while the coffee table displayed versatile rigid paper containers. Visitors also had the chance to thoroughly test the packaging on bistro and dining tables. Moreover, transparent packaging on retail shelves allowed them to take a peek at the solutions’ interior. The booth’s large back wall referred to the basic idea behind the design: Packaging Designed for Individuals.
The design was well received by trade show visitors. “We had a lot of positive feedback on our booth, even from competitors,” says Séan Cairns, Vice President and General Manager at Sonoco Consumer Products Europe. “The design invited visitors to take a break from the trade fair’s hustle and bustle, and to examine our packaging solutions more closely.”
The right platform for new products
Sonoco presented curious visitors with an overview of its entire consumer packaging portfolio. The focus was on new products such as a prototype of the WindowCan, which was presented at Interpack for the first time. The packaging solution with a paper label is produced using the in-mould labelling process and combines Sonoco’s know-how in the fields of rigid paper containers and plastic packaging. A transparent window in the label allows consumers to see the product inside for themselves. Food producers can design the window according to their preferences – from the shape of a mouth-watering candy to that of a cute unicorn. Up until recently, it was very difficult, if not impossible, to apply windows to traditional rigid paper containers.
When it came to rigid paper containers, the SquareCan caught visitors’ attention. The packaging solution, which was launched in autumn 2016, is the first rigid paper container with an almost square shape. Closure options, such as organic and degradable sprinkler lids, as well as different membranes and ends showed how cans can be adapted to consumer preferences. In the field of plastic packaging, customer samples highlighted the vast range of shape, size and design options that food manufacturers can choose from. This allows Sonoco’s customers to adapt their packaging to specific consumer behaviour and their own brand image. This results in packaging that is as diverse as the consumers themselves – in fact, it is “Packaging Designed for Individuals”.
