Multipurpose Packaging

You may have noticed an increasing amount of retail-ready packaging in most of the brick-and-mortar stores out there. Retail ready packaging, or RRP, refers to the packaging technique that serves as both a shipping container and a way to showcase your products.

According to a survey, RRP is going to outpace the overall packaging market in the upcoming years. While several studies show that RRP is a growing segment of the industry, there is a need to tell companies and startups about its benefits.

Factors driving the RRP demands

While brand marketers see the RRP as an attractive option, it proves to be a cost-saving option for most of the retailers out there. Charles Pavia, director of marketing at Proactive Packaging & Display, says that labor cost is one of the most significant aspects that traditional stores consider while trying to compete with other stores in the area or community.

That said, the RRP benefits traditional stores by helping them cutting on labor costs. It takes a lot of effort for stores to unpack a product and take it to shelves. The RRP, on the other hand, eases the task by allowing the staff to unpack the product quickly and arrange it on shelves without any significant amount of effort. This packaging option is specifically beneficial for retailers who want to maintain operational efficiency with a small staff.

An example of large retailers who employ the RRP is Wal-Mart. This corporate giant uses the RRP to package its products ranging from foods to cosmetics to seasonal products. Although Wal-Mart doesn’t face any issues related to labor, it wants products to be on shelves instantly after they arrive. And, sure, they want everything done efficiently without much handling involved.

The RRP is an attractive option for both brand marketers and retailers also because it can help small items and pouches becoming more noticeable on shelves. For example, products such as noodle and rice mix come in different pouches. These products can leave a significant impact on visitors if placed in a structured order on shelves. Using lightweight or heavy-duty boxes to showcase such products help retailers achieve this benefit. Most manufacturing companies use corrugated boxes in such cases.

In some cases, retailers may create a DIY display box to showcase products that do not use RRP. This method is, however, not as effective as the use of company-made RRP boxes, which come with slots and tabs to make the product withdrawal easier.

Growth equals opportunity

Although many traditional stores are starting to adopt RRP, they cannot abandon their traditional models to showcase standalone products anytime soon. That is because brands are solely responsible for packaging and branding their products. It needs them to use machinery and other resources during the packaging process. And while many brand owners have started using RRP due to rising demands from retail stores, most brands are still reluctant to use this packaging option due to cost restraints and other factors.

If you are a brand and you want to use RRP for your products, you may need to consult with your packaging partner to get a useful piece of advice in this regard.