You might think that packaging is just what it is: packaging. No matter which markets you operate in, the pack is always the same. Yet in reality, there’s a lot more work to do for a product’s beautiful cover. Digital Creative Packaging explains why different markets require different packaging.

European and international regulations

If you sell your products abroad, you are bound to European and international regulations. You will find that different markets follow different regulations. The food industry especially has to abide by strict labelling regulations. Food labelling regulations, for example, the EU regulation on the provision of food information to consumers, require specific mandatory information on food packaging. Displaying nutritional information per 100g, the use of imagery and providing a full ingredient list in weight order are just some of the many particulars to consider. So a pack isn’t just a pack after all. You have to adapt your packaging not only to your product but also to your markets. In some cases, you also can’t avoid using market-specific packaging due to national regulations.

Language barriers

Regulations aren’t the only reason why you might need market-specific packaging. Imagine exporting your products to China. We guess the first thing you just thought about, was the Chinese languages and how you wouldn’t be able to read Chinese packaging. Now imagine creating one of those packs yourself… Could get tricky right?

Using your English packaging just isn’t an option. Certain types of information on your packaging have to be translated into your markets’ native languages. Among this information is the list of ingredients including important allergens disclosure. This is perhaps the most complex part of your pack copy and translating it isn’t exactly easy either. Digital Creative Packaging can support you with this. We work with experienced native translators to ensure the best quality possible for our translation services.

Clash of cultures

Since we were talking about China just now, their culture is also very different from the west. And culture is a major influence on consumers’ perception of a pack. So if you decide to use multinational packaging, be sure to choose countries wisely. White packaging might be seen as a clear, minimalistic design in Western cultures, but what about the rest of the world?

Colours generally trigger different emotions in different cultures, so you might want to avoid causing negative emotions in some countries and use market-specific packaging design instead. Let’s not talk about possible consequences for your brand, if you fail to adapt to a country’s culture. You can pretty much imagine that yourself.

The role of multilingual packaging

Although language and regulation differences often require market-specific packaging, you might have one other option. A multilingual pack is a convenient way of providing one pack suitable for several markets. With EU regulations covering most of Europe’s countries, it is especially easy to use multilingual packaging for these markets. The challenge of multilingual packaging is to match markets with similar regulations and translate important information into their native languages. It also makes sense to choose culturally similar countries as there might not be as many differences in the perception of design, colours and claims.

Cost-effective solution

But the most important benefit hasn’t even been mentioned yet. With multilingual packaging, you can save big on production costs. This is probably the major reason why multilingual packaging exists. Using one or few multilingual packs instead of a whole bunch of market-specific packaging really pay off.

If you’re unsure about your options, Digital Creative Packaging will be happy to assist. Get in touch with us today to find out about our multilingual packaging and translation services.

Having troubles with food regulations? No problem. Whether you prefer multinational or market-specific packaging, Digital Creative Packaging is the right partner for you. Our UK, European and international food regulation services make sure your packaging will be legal on the shelf.