Trends in packaging design

Package design consultant Sherry Bissonette discusses the trend towards more white space…
and other package design trends.

Jay Daunheimer:

Can you tell us the current the current packaging trends?

Sherry Bissonette:

We’re seeing a lot more white space. The big trend of covering up every surface is going away.

Clients used to feel that since they were paying for that package space then fill it, fill it, fill it. But things are easier to read when there is less. The consumer perception now is that the product is healthier if there is not as much on the box.
And the color green is coming back; it used to be that green gave the perception of mold.  A lot of food companies clearly stated that green was never to be used unless it was green beans or spinach or the like.  And health related tag lines like “Sodium free” or “Fat reduced” of course are important. Everything is health based right now and the color green supports that.
The photography of the food is changing. It used to be soft focus backgrounds with the food product in sharp focus in the foreground. But now I’m seeing the food product isolated on a white or solid background. Simple seems to be it, for now. It is always changing.