Professional Documents
Culture Documents
ON A PRODUCT.
BY
AKP/WRR/BMG/BUS/ND2007/0020
APRIL 2010
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
ITEMS PAGE
Table of content 2
Dedication 3
Abstract 4
Introduction 5
Background of the study 5
Statement of the problem 8
Objective of the study 9
Hypothesis 10
Significance of the study 10
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DEDICATION
This term paper is dedicated to the Almighty God for His ever enduring
love, kindness, mercy and grace all through the course of this
programme. Father, I thank and worship you and give You all the Glory
and Honour.
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ABSTRACT
Packaging is an integral part of the goods supply chain. It helps to protects goods from
damage, allows efficient distribution, informs the consumer and helps to promote goods in a
competitive market place. The main objective of the study was to determine the role of
packaging as a marketing strategy in the firm under consideration. The subsidiary objectives
include to determine whether packaging ensures the safety and quality of products – from
The research has shown that consumers are willing to pay a little more for the
supermarkets has meant that the package must now perform many of the
promotional functions. This means that it must attract attention, suggest something
desirable inside it in the mind of the consumer and make an overall favourable
impression.
It was recommended that management should pay more attention to the promotional
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CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
increase the shelf life and to ensure the integrity of the product contained
Figure 1.1
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pack your products, and I’ll tell you who you are..."
In the rural society which prevailed until the industrial revolution of the 19th
about receptacles than about packaging, a role they did not fulfil with much
success. The role of packaging was just to ensure the conservation and
individual was not a consumer but a user of resources that were essential for
survival.
new needs. We moved from a society where trade was limited and each
more and more specialised. Products were no longer used by their producer
or his or her immediate neighbours, but were now transported, sold and
determined the forms that packaging should take. That is how barrels evolved
especially adapted for sea transportation, as well as boxes that were easy to
move and store. The packaging of products had the principal aims of
protecting them and facilitating their transport, making them available to more
people. Retailers would then simply unpack products before selling them.
Individual packaging was not yet used and no real thought had been given to
packaged and then sold in bulk. Shopkeepers handled the products, weighing
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them and wrapping them individually, with little concern for hygiene, while
their customers watched carefully to make sure they were getting what they
The second packaging revolution came after the Second World War, parallel
to the development of the post-war economy. After having been used to serve
the needs principally of the product (protection) and then the producer
markets and small local grocery stores to supermarkets. From then on,
packaging was used for each individual product, so that it was ready to be
picked up from the shelf and taken away by the consumer. The era of self-
was that information about the product could be printed on the packaging.
After all, the shopkeeper was no longer able to convey the necessary
Consumption rose considerably, as did the population. This was the age of
the baby boom, which was twinned by a consumption boom, packaging being
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pace of developments. Demands for quality began to rise, thus making ever
placed on the individual and the increase of working women made it once
Consumption became mobile, people were on the move and time was
packed food, using materials that could withstand the impact of being taken
more global. Products made on the other side of the world had to be able to
arrive in our shops in perfect condition. Packaging had to be made even more
The (provisional) end of this story is evident in our shops and daily lives. Our
supermarkets are able to offer ever more exotic products, our household
homes, and our fridges are filled with convenience foods. The world is
This research project is going to attempt to give answer to the following questions:
a. Will it provide a barrier against dirt and other contaminants thus keeping the
product clean?
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b. Will it prevent losses?. For example, packages should be securely closed to
prevent leakage
c. Will it protect the content against physical and chemical damage? For example
the harmful effects of air, light, insects, and rodents. Each product will have its
own needs
d. Will the package and design provide protection and convenience in handling
e. Will it help the customers to identify the item and instruct them on how to use it
correctly
design can protects the item or objects in the package from potential damage
efficiency. For example, 1,000 pencils packaged in one box require less
handling than 1,000 pencils packaged individually. However, bulk amounts (of
salt, for example), may be better divided into packages of a size suitable for
individual households.
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3. Information transmission. To show that packaging can contain information on
4. Marketing. To prove that custom printed packaging and labels may be used to
example, may contain only one disk yet be large enough to hold dozens.
1.4 HYPOTHESIS
In this research project, two hypotheses are to be tested as follows; that the
(2) If the products in their industry is well designed, labelled and packaged.
This study is significant because it will produce data on the role of packaging
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5. The financial managers, accountants, auditors and marketers who
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CHAPTER TWO
The product must be protected against being dropped, crushed, and the
The product must also be protected against the climate including high
temperatures, humidity, light and gases in the air. It must also be protected
b. To keep the product together, to contain it (i.e. So that it does not spill).
that yields carrots that are straight and smaller than the normal variety. These
fit into cans. Some products such as fruit juices and sausages need to be
contained in packages that hold them together and are sealed to prevent
Packaging is the main way products are advertised and identified. To the
manufacturer the package clearly identifies the product inside and it is usually
the package that the customer recognises when shopping. Advertising is very
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important when a manufacturer launches a new or existing product. The
the customer. The package will also contain important information including
regular shaped package (such as a cuboid) can be stacked without too much
space between each package being wasted. This means that more packages
lead to space being wasted and this can be costly if thousands of the same
such a way that all the important information can be seen by a potential buyer,
especially the product name. The next time you visit the supermarket look
carefully at the shape of the packages. They are usually the same rectangular
item. Often packages are stacked on top and alongside each other to reduce
wasted space. The shape and form of the package determines how efficiently
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2.1.2 FUNCTIONS OF PACKAGING
packed starting from the time the item is packed through to its consumption. A
a. Protective function
contents from the environment and vice versa. The inward protective function
is intended to ensure full retention of the utility value of the packaged goods.
The packaging is thus intended to protect the goods from loss, damage and
theft.
handling and storage operations. The goods frequently also require protection
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The inward and outward protective function primarily places demands upon
b. Storage function
the goods and once the package contents have been used. Packaging must
manner that it may be held, lifted, moved, set down and stowed easily,
efficiently and safely. Packaging thus has a crucial impact on the efficiency of
stowage. The shape and strength of packages should be such that they may
not only be stowed side by side leaving virtually no voids but may also be
units. Packaging should thus always facilitate the formation of cargo units;
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Where handling is to be entirely or partially manual, packages must be easy
load-bearing lifting points for the lifting gear, with the points being specially
The loading and transport function places requirements upon the external
shape of the package, upon the mass of the goods accommodated inside and
upon the convenient use of packaging aids. The strength of the package
required for stowing goods on top of each other demonstrates the close
relationship between the loading and transport function and the protective
function.
d. Sales function
e. Promotional function
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product awareness is indeed generated along the transport chain, excessive
f. Service function
with details about the contents and use of the particular product. Examples
The package may also perform a further function once the contents have
g. Guarantee function
guarantees that the details on the packaging correspond to the contents. The
packaging is therefore the basis for branded goods, consumer protection and
product liability. There are legislative requirements which demand that goods
h. Additional function
package contents have been used. The most significant example is the
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2.1.3 THE LEVELS OF PACKAGING
Levels of packaging differ mostly in the quantity of their contents and the
• Primary or sales packaging. This reaches the consumer. It has the smallest
direct contact with the product. It may include such elements as: bottle, cap,
containers also used to display primary packages at the point of sale may
space and least packaging materials. This requirement may affect the size
• Tertiary or transport packaging. Used for the safe handling and transport of
Contain the largest product quantities and have little communication function.
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2.1.4 Packaging environments
There are three environments:
• The physical environment: where physical damage can occur to the product.
distribution.
changes of temperature and humidity, oxygen and carbon dioxide levels, light
(especially UV), odours, dust and dirt, small animals (insects, mice, rats),
water, and contaminants such as exhaust fumes and spillage from adjacent
packages. The product may also affect its environment within the package,
• The human environment: where the package interacts with people. They need
using them and easy to read. Information may be required by legislation and
The main aims of packaging are to keep the food in good condition until it is
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If adequately packaged, the shelf-life of local surpluses of food may be
extended, and this allows the food to be distributed to other areas. In doing
so, consumers are given more choice in terms of food available, food
resources can be more equitably distributed, and rural producers may be able
and consumer habits. In many parts of the world, foods are wrapped in re-
used newsprint, animal skins, rushes, or reeds. These materials are normally
used for foods which are consumed soon after purchase (e.g. snack foods
and bakery goods) and which therefore need little protection, or for foods such
as flour and sugar which are likely to be transferred into storage vessels in the
home.
Foods with a longer expected shelf-life have different needs and may require
more sophisticated packaging to protect them against air, light, moisture, and
bacteria.
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a lack of knowledge of the materials and/or the requirements for packaging
different foods. Each product has its own characteristics and packaging
requirements vary
those that are available, supplies are often situated in urban areas and this
may cause problems for the rural producer in terms of transportation and
packaging can represent a large part of the total cost of a processed food.
This may be in part the result of the higher unit cost when small quantities are
include:
leaves
vegetable fibres
wood
papers, newsprint
earthenware
glass
plastics
metals
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2.2.3 EFFECT OF PACKAGING AND DESIGN ON PRODUCT
If a customer knows what he or she is looking for, and enters your store or visits your
website knowing you have it, you will most likely make a sale. For the other hundred
or so people you hope will purchase your product, this is not the case. For example,
if customers are looking for a digital camera online, they won't spend much time
seeking a reputable online store. The store that is able to effectively present its
products will almost always make the sale. This is because customers trust quality
packaging and design more than they trust low prices.
Companies that sell products in a traditional store already make use of sophisticated
packaging techniques: packaging and design is their interface with their customers.
Websites often neglect this and continue to package their products in the same
manner, rather than spending money on campaigns. The way your product is
packaged can have a huge impact on your customers. In a store, this includes the
shape, size and color of the packaging and any text that is included on the box.
Your entire website becomes your online store, from your initial home page right
down to your order form. If a customer does not like a single element of your page,
chances are he or she will buy the product elsewhere. Customers are attracted to
various different packaging variations. Consequently, knowing the psychological
effects of packaging on your market can greatly enhance your sales. Some markets
respond better to certain colors. Larger packaging usually sells better than smaller
packaging, depending on the price. Silver and metal tones are incredibly effective
when selling technology products.
Color is, of course, the most important factor in product packaging and design. A doll
for girls will obviously sell better in a pink box than a green one. In the 80s, green
was simply not used in snack food packaging until Snackwells decided to incorporate
it into their packaging. Their healthy products became an instant marketing success.
Customers are attracted to both the new and the familiar. People will normally
continue to purchase the same brand of laundry detergent their entire life. The
packaging of their brand is so familiar and comforting to them among the other multi-
colored products that they fail to notice any other brands.
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CHAPTER THREE
3.1 SUMMARY
If you sell your product through retail distribution channels, the appearance of that
product on the shelf is critical to its sales success. A great package with nice design
helps you sell your product to retailers and customers alike; conversely, a poor
package and dull design can keep your product from reaching its full sales potential.
To help you create a package that works its hardest to sell the product inside, here
are nine tried-and-true steps. Step 1: Select a Name That Helps You Sell. Step 2:
Design for Key Channel Partners. Step 3: Evaluate the Competition. Step 4: Set
Designers. Step 6: Aim for Maximum Shelf Impact. Step 7: Manage the Design
Process. Step 8: View Proposed Designs in Stores. Step 9: Allocate the Time and
Money to Do It Right
3.2 CONCLUSION
Packaging materials such as glass are often made in developing countries but
materials such as plastic film are more commonly imported from multinational
directories.
Further information regarding suppliers and local costs of materials can be obtained
from local packaging institutes; again these can be located through business
directories.
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REFERENCES
http://www.tis-gdv.de/tis_e/verpack/funktion/funktion.htm
http://www.MarketSavvyConsulting.com.
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