Retail Ready Packaging Background
In an IGD supplier survey only 9% of suppliers saw shopper disapproval as a barrier to RRP adoption. While shopper disapproval may not be a barrier to adoption, their views on the effect of RRP on brand and store image may influence their purchase behaviour. However few retailers or suppliers have done shopper research to establish if their beliefs on RRP benefits such as brand enhancement and ease of shopping are shared by the shopper.
Making products easier to find
Whilst RRP can provide a solution to availability issues it also offers the opportunity to make products easier to find. In IGD research half of British and German shoppers surveyed agree that packaging makes it easier to find products whilst 62% of French shoppers do. Less Spanish shoppers (38%) believe packaging improves product visibility.
The packaging makes it easier to find products
Source: IGD Consumer Research, 2006
Qualitative research in GB found a number of positive attributes were discussed in terms of design which made products easier to find.
- Larger writing on the outer packaging reduced the need for the shopper to check the individual product.
- The orientation of products is also very important in making products easier to find.
- It was suggested that colour coordination would enhance product and make product easier to identify.
Product accessibility
In IGD’s international survey accessibility did not present a major issue to shoppers. The country where access to products is considered by more shoppers to be negatively affected was Spain where 17% agreed that ‘packaging makes it harder to take the products from the shelf’. This was followed by 13% in Great Britain and 10% and 9% in France and Germany respectively. Although this is not a major issue it is still a concern that RRP can reduce accessibility rather than improve it.
The packaging makes it harder to take the products from the shelf
Source: IGD Consumer Research, 2006
Qualitative research in GB indicated that design and implementation problems reducing product accessibility include
- The use of plastic mouldings to hold products in place. Some times product fits too tightly into mouldings.
- Over stacking of shelves. In some cases products are packed so tightly on the shelves that shoppers find it difficult to get leverage.
- Boxes being placed on the shelf back to front can result in the product being difficult to remove if the back is higher than the front.
Other issues
Other shopper concerns relating to RRP in supermarkets relate to
- The possibility that additional packaging will mean extra costs which will be passed on to the shopper
- Additional packaging will increase waste – some shoppers want to understand supermarkets commitment to recycling
- Increased packaging can have a detrimental effect on brand and store if not designed and implemented to a high standard.
