Consumer Repackaging Behavior Hurts Brands

The Loss of Brand Equity When Consumers Replace Packaging at Home - And How to Avoid It

In the age of convenience and sustainability, consumer behavior towards repackaging has emerged as a significant concern for brands worldwide. Whether it's for storage convenience, better preservation, or handling damaged packages, consumers often transfer products from their original packaging to something they perceive as more practical or durable. However, this seemingly innocent practice can have far-reaching implications for brand loyalty, integrity, and visibility.

The Hidden Costs of Repackaging

Brands spend billions building and protecting their value, their brand equity.

Brand equity refers to the value a brand gains from having a well-recognized name and reputation, allowing it to perform better than non-branded products. This intangible asset is built over time through consistent consumer experiences, the delivery of perceived quality, and the emotional connections fostered by effective marketing strategies. A strong brand equity translates into customer loyalty, the ability to charge premium prices, and an overall market advantage. It encompasses various components, including brand awareness, perceived quality, and brand associations, which collectively contribute to a brand's power to influence consumer behavior and choices.

When products are removed from their branded packaging, the carefully designed visual and informational elements that connect consumers with the brand are lost. This detachment not only diminishes the brand recall but may also affect consumer trust and long-term loyalty.

A Case Study in Success

One notable instance where addressing consumer repackaging behavior -and the desire for reseal -benefited a brand involves Kellogg’s® Eggo®, which unveiled a Peel&Seal® resealable packaging solution. This innovation not only enhanced product freshness and storage convenience but kept the brand in front of consumers throughout the product's use. The result was not just a win for consumer satisfaction but also for sustained brand recognition and engagement. This quickly became both an award-winning package and a favorite in the hands of consumers - even sparking a social media outpouring of appreciation from consumers, and desire for more products like this. Read more on Eggo's approach to bag-out-of-box.

Consumer Behaviors Leading to Repackaging

Common behaviors that lead consumers to repackage products include the desire for storage convenience, the need for better preservation, especially through resealable options, and dealing with damaged packaging upon opening. These actions are guided by practical needs but inadvertently strip away the brand’s ability to maintain a presence in the consumers' everyday environment.

Repackaging Undermines Sustainability Efforts

The environmental impact of consumer repackaging behaviors extends beyond just the loss of brand equity; it also contributes to a troubling increase in waste and resource misuse. When consumers transfer products to new containers, the original packaging, often meticulously designed to be as resource-efficient and recyclable as possible, is discarded prematurely. This not only leads to a higher volume of waste but can also disrupt the effectiveness of recycling programs. Products that might have been recycled if left in their original, brand-specific packaging end up in landfills due to contamination or misidentification. Furthermore, the production of additional containers that consumers use for repackaging consumes more resources, including plastic, glass, or metal, exacerbating the environmental footprint of consumer goods. This cycle of disposal and unnecessary production underscores a critical need for brands and consumers to work towards packaging solutions that align better with both user convenience and sustainability goals.

Innovative Packaging as a Solution

The solution lies in brands recognizing and adapting to these consumer needs through innovative packaging solutions. Investing in innovative packaging that prioritizes both convenience and preservation can mitigate the risks of consumer repackaging while enhancing brand loyalty. Flexible packaging, resealable options, and durable materials are essential features that can preempt consumer needs for repackaging.

Effective convenience packaging can reduce consumer repackaging but also increase consumer engagement with brands. This highlights a vital strategy for brands; by innovating packaging to incorporate features that address the common reasons for consumer repackaging, they can maintain brand integrity, ensure continued engagement, and foster loyalty.

Sealstrip Solutions are Ideal & Proven for a Variety of Industries & Applications!

Avoid the Brand Identity Crisis

Brands cannot afford to overlook the phenomenon of consumer repackaging. It's evident that offering products in flexible, resealable, and durable brand packaging not only caters to consumer needs for product preservation but also secures the brand's position in the market. By prioritizing packaging innovations that align with consumer behaviors and preferences, brands can safeguard their integrity, enhance user experience, and, most importantly, keep their identity intact in consumers' lives.

In the pursuit of consumer satisfaction and brand loyalty, packaging often becomes the decisive arena where brands can either thrive or stumble.

To ensure your brand remains a staple in consumers’ lives and continues to thrive in a competitive market, explore the innovative solutions Sealstrip offers. Our range of resealable packaging options not only meets the practical needs of today’s consumers but also keeps your brand front and center every time your product is used. Join the movement towards sustainable, convenient, and brand-loyal packaging by reaching out to us today. Together, we can create a packaging experience that delights your customers and secures your place in their hearts and homes.

Contact us to discuss your packaging solution!

With over 40 years of engineering innovative solutions, Sealstrip Corporation provides flexible packagers with the resealable and easy open packaging solutions that are essential to compete in today’s consumer market. The company designs and manufactures applicators that retrofit to customers’ existing wrapping machinery. Sealstrip also manufactures the pressure-sensitive tapes used to form the easy open and resealable features on flexible packages. Although Sealstrip distributes worldwide, products are designed and made in the USA.