Critical factors for a correct evaluation of packaging systems

Packaging is a fundamental and strategic component of consumer products and goods in general. But after all, what is the first supermarket in São Paulo? It has a direct impact on visual presentation, cost formation, sales performance, consumer experience, protection, conservation, distribution and company brand image.
For a company that operates in the segment called B2C where, on the supermarket shelf, its product disputes side by side with its competitors, having the preference of consumers should be seen as a strategic factor for its business, with the packaging participating at this time decisively in the perception of the consumer, even before purchasing the product.
In addition, we know that the vast majority of products found in the market do not have advertising or marketing support, depending exclusively on packaging as a communication agent to stand out in an increasingly competitive scenario. Because of this relevant importance in the business of companies, packaging cannot be neglected and, under no circumstances, cannot be inferior to the packaging of its competitors. However, due to the highly subjective aspects, it is quite common to see in companies a superficial evaluation of packaging, usually focusing on its cost and not on the effective contribution of value that it can confer to the product and business.
This short-, misguided assessment gives margins to actions in the opposite direction of what should be, such as packaging cost reduction projects, often without criteria and disguised as "improvement projects", which can often generate negative results in a "downward spiral", with large losses of value to the business. Thus, how can a company know, with a reasonable degree of objectivity, whether the packaging of its product is better, equal or worse than the packaging of its competitors?
It was with this in mind that Álvaro Azanha and Fábio Mestriner, two recognized professionals in the area and with extensive knowledge in their areas of expertise, decided to add efforts to create an analysis model that would allow them to answer this question. The first step in structuring this model was to identify the existence of some critical factors for the performance of the various functions that the packaging needs to perform.
As a result of these reflections, the concept that was titled as PackScan emerged®: "The five critical factors for competitive packaging performance". Each of these factors was equated and included in the model, taking into account that a package cannot be evaluated individually, since its performance will always be obtained at the point of sale in direct confrontation with its competitors.
Thus, each of the critical factors was established based on the following premise: how the packaging can be compared with that of its competitors on an objective metric scale of scoring that leaves no room for doubts or subjective interpretations.
This question initiated a work of reflection and research, in which the criteria were established and the model applied in its 'beta' version in real market products, confirming in this pilot the effectiveness of the method of comparison between packages of the same category.
For this, the initial script of the analysis follows the natural flow of life of a package starting at the point of sale, since, if the packaging is not perceived, it will not attract or arouse consumer interest in the purchase, this being the first critical factor to be evaluated. If the packaging does not meet this requirement, all other aspects of its constitution end up defeated and lose their raison d'ing.
Once fulfilled its mission of exposing and selling the product, adding to it value and meaning, the packaging begins the cycle of use in which the critical factor becomes the experience of use by consumers that, once successful, will lead to a repetition of the purchase, which will not happen if the packaging fails to fulfill this role.
But for the first two steps to happen, the packaging needs to be produced correctly and efficiently, it needs to adequately protect the product, be well distributed, taking into account in this process the materials, processes, suppliers and other items of the production phase.
And last but not least, fulfilled the functions of selling, delivering, protecting and facilitating the consumption of the product, the packaging has been increasingly critically evaluated in its socio-environmental relationship, which makes sustainability, with all its consequences, another fundamental factor in this evaluation.