Taste, nutrition, and inspired packaging and design are the keys to appealing to both children and their parents in the beverage aisle, according to research conducted by Tetra Pak.
Taste, nutrition, and inspired packaging and design are the keys to appealing to both children and their parents in the beverage aisle, according to research conducted by Tetra Pak.
“We’ve all seen children asking their parents to buy them something in the supermarket, especially products that are not the most healthy. But how much effect does child behaviour really have on what goes into the trolley,” asks Charles Vorrath, marketing director, Tetra Pak Oceania.
“In the portion package beverage category, the answer is ‘quite a lot’ according to research conducted by Tetra Pak.”
Interviews with nearly 500 shoppers show that almost 80 percent of all purchases are influenced by kid requests, and 55 percent of planned purchases are specifically child requests. When children are along on the shopping trip – as they are about 60 percent of the time – they are more likely not only to express an opinion, but to get their way. Only 20 percent of shoppers say their buying decisions have nothing to do with what their children want.
“Kids tend to get what they want when it comes to beverages they’ll be expected to drink, and responsible manufacturers know their packaging can be a force for good to help parents help kids make the healthy choice,” Mr Vorrath says.
Mr Vorrath said savvy brand marketing can persuade parents – who decide what goes in the trolley – while still appealing to kids, by keeping these points in mind.
- Differentiate by flavour. After portability and convenience, flavour is the strongest consideration cited by shoppers in the children’s beverage aisle, named by 60 percent of survey respondents. With flavoured waters for kids moving up in this category, including coconut water, kids are poised to be accepting of more sophisticated offerings when it comes to taste
- Add nutritional benefits. Nutrition is increasing in importance – now ranking just behind flavour in the decision-making matrix for children’s beverages. About half of all parents scan beverage labels, looking for lower sugar, vitamin-rich drink
- Explore novel shapes. Unusual shapes can help a package stand out in a crowded aisle
- Target your age market. What appeals to a toddler is very likely going to turn off a 10 year old, so it’s important to consider age when creating package designs. Segment, where possible, to capture maximum market share, or strive for a ‘sweet spot’ with images or graphics offering the widest appeal
- Characters are key. Younger children in particular are drawn to packaging that features a character they can identify. More broadly, exciting graphics and intriguing shapes attract kids’ attention and stimulate their interest
- Maximise the billboard effect. Shoppers spend on average 27 seconds making a decision in this aisle, according to the research. “Products standing out is critical when consumers have less time to choose from an increasingly wide range of products,” Mr says Vorrath.
