Consumer perception is commercial m-reality
25.10.2006
Consumer perception is commercial m-reality Press release 24.10.2006 Research findings indicate positive role played by cartonboard packaging in shaping in-store purchasing decisions for luxury cosmetics brands An in-depth research project led by European paper & board producer M-real Corporation into how consumers respond to packaging of cosmetics products, has emphatically endorsed the marketing power of cartonboard as a significant influence upon purchasing decisions at point of sale. In a recent survey jointly commissioned by M-real and Finnish beauty care brand owner Lumene, carton weight of upwards of 285g/m² and a choice of high gloss or special surface effects such as hot-foil have emerged as the most effective means of reflecting a luxury impression. The programme was conducted by the University of Helsinki (Department of Psychology) and two independent research institutes, and entailed a series of individual 1.5 hr qualitative interviews amongst existing and prospective consumers across Finland, Sweden & Russia. Overall trends notwithstanding, differences between regional preferences should also be closely observed when planning a global strategy, notes M-real research executive Marika Koskenkanto. "A solid, durable board was felt by all consumers to convey a trustworthy and valuable image. However, whereas a glossy appearance scored well amongst Russian consumers, for example, a matte finish was equally well regarded as denoting luxury by some Swedish consumers. On the basis of informed market feedback, variables like this can be easily accommodated to further enhance brand appeal." "What was additionally interesting to us was that whilst felt to be important, environmental concerns appeared to be of secondary interest when forming a positive response. The research tended to confirm that when people are looking for high quality luxury products they're not necessarily looking for anything that's overtly eco-friendly; there's a definite assumption that the brand exercises appropriate levels of environmental responsibility." The global market for packaging of cosmetics will rise to €11.2bn by 2007 (source: Pira International), with paper & board leading competitive substrates in accounting for a 39% share of the western Europe market. According to M-real's consumer packaging VP marketing Riikka Joukio: "Whilst our current offer - notably the Avanta range of fully coated grades - is now being used by about 20% of cosmetics packaging applications across western European, we want to work more closely with our customers' customers in determining their forward marketing & design strategies." "Whilst we typically talk with brand owners about technical and development issues, they seldom buy directly from us. Therefore, it's critical that we should know as much as possible about the interaction between our business proposition at the other end of the supply chain - not least as packaging now out-performs advertising by a factor of three in prompting the decision to purchase." "Extending this level of understanding works equally as well for brand owners too. Lumene are now planning to incorporate some of the feedback from our joint research within their onward packaging strategy." M-real's commitment to extending and improving upon cartonboard solutions developed specifically for cosmetics packaging belies the sector's comparatively niche status in representing only around 5% of the €241bn global market for printed packaging, confirms Riikka Joukio: "A significant proportion of Avanta grade production from our 145,000 tonne capacity Kyro board mill alone goes to beauty care applications." "Learning more about the impact of packaging on consumers is one of the main drivers behind this research initiative; we're not aware of any other board producer adopting this level of interest in the user packaging market. We're now sourcing additional brands with which to partner; not necessarily in cosmetics." For further information, please contact M-real Consumer Packaging: Mrs Riikka Joukio, Vice President, Marketing Tel. + 358 (0)50 598 7819 E-mail riikka.joukio@m-real.com M-real cartonboard grades best suited for beauty care product packaging include: Avanta Prima (200-375 g/m2), Avanta Ultra (200-370 g/m2) and Avanta Super (270-335 g/m2) Fully coated folding boxboards suitable for offset, gravure and flexo printing. Avanta boards provide excellent printability, superior surface properties enabling demanding finishing techniques, and high stiffness. Carta Solida (185-320 g/m2) and Carta Integra (170-330 g/m2) Fully coated bleached paperboard with coated back, suitable for offset, gravure, flexo and serigraphy printing. Carta boards provide high stiffness, excellent printability on both sides and superior visual appearance. Chromolux A complete selection of cast coated boards for luxury packaging in white, different colours and also deep coloured (Chromolux True), offering high gloss and smooth surface for excellent finishing characteristics especially for exclusive cosmetics and perfumes packaging.