Since Covid and the increase in cost of living, we have seen a surge in ready meals and home food delivery services as people opt to have meals at home instead of going out to eat.
We thought it would be helpful to put together a guide that will help you to create ready meal packaging that is functional, robust and eye-catching whilst remaining safe for the end consumer. We have also touched on things to avoid and what to keep in your mind when you design your packaging to make sure it meets all of your requirements and stand out from the competition.
Your packaging’s practical considerations
Before designing what your packaging will look like, it is important to have a clear idea of the practical considerations and functions your ready meal packaging needs to fulfil so your product arrives in perfect condition to the consumer.
1. Choosing the right type of packaging
These are probably the first questions you will ask yourself – what is your product and how does it need to be packaged?
There is a wide range of packaging solutions available to businesses now for ready meals and home delivery so you can choose a solution that fits your brand messaging, price point and target market.
So, how will you package yours? Will you opt for sealed trays with a sleeve? Foil trays inside a box? Labelled trays? Cardboard? Plastic? Bamboo? Reusable ceramic dishes?
Your packaging needs to meet food safety regulations, limit the chances of any damage and increase the chances of repeat custom. You also need to think about recyclability which is very important to consumers and also to retailers.
2. What functions does your packaging need to have?
When you are choosing the type of packaging it is important to consider the following functions your packaging will need to have:
- Is it easy to open?
Can your consumer easily access the food inside? Does the plastic film peel back easily so the product can be cooked in the oven? Does the film need to be pierced so it can be microwaved?
- Is it easy to cook the food from?
Ie is the container that the food sits within suitable for cooking and oven safe and microwave safe?
- Can it be reused?
Is the packaging single use and disposable or is it intended to be used again?
- Can it be recycled?
Is the packaging easy to dispose of in an environmentally friendly way, and can it be recycled at kerbside?
- Is your ready meal frozen?
It is important to make sure your packaging can withstand being frozen and defrosted without losing its integrity and disintegrating.
- BRC accredited packaging
BRC accredited packaging meets food safety standards that are recognised by large supermarkets as packaging that meets food safety standards.
3. B2B / Direct to Consumer / Retail?
This is a very important question when creating your packaging and will dictate the majority of your decisions. Knowing where your products will be stored/displayed, who will see it and how it will be handled will guide your choices. For example, will your ready meals be presented and kept in a retail setting where they could be potentially in a freezer display unit for several months amongst competitors?
Alternatively, will your ready meals be sent straight to the consumer? If your ready meals are being sent in the post, what will be the delivery system? How will your ready meals be handled and stored during their transit? How will you ensure that your product will arrive in perfect condition to your consumer?
If your ready meals are frozen/chilled and sent D2C via delivery, thermal packaging such as gel packs and packaging liners are vital for keeping your food cold during transit so they remain safe to eat.
Your packaging’s styling and important features
After you have determined your packaging’s practical functions it needs to meet, you can now think about the design. This is a section about your packaging’s styling and brand messaging – its looks and style. How it comes across to your consumer and what needs to be included in your designs.
1. Add important information
Your packaging needs to contain the following important info to provide information to meet legislation and keep your consumer safe:
- Allergens
- ingredients,
- cooking instructions,
- nutritional content,
- expiry dates
Please note, this isn’t an exhaustive list and you need to consult with an accredited food labelling expert to ensure your packaging complies with regulations in your region/country.
2. Styling
This section talks about the look and feel of your packaging and how it is styled:
- Imagery
Should you add photos/images of the food contained within the packaging on the outside of the packaging? You only have a few seconds to entice the consumer, especially on-shelf. When sent direct to the consumer the packaging needs to look exciting and enticing so the consumer is excited to start eating the meals within.
- Can your consumer see the product?
Does your packaging show off your product? Most consumers like to see the food contents inside a ready meal they are purchasing, especially in a retail setting– there are a couple of main ways you can achieve this with your outer packaging. If your ready meals are being sent in the post direct to consumer this isn’t as important as they aren’t buying with their eyes in the same way.
Instead of covering the whole of your product with a wide sleeve, you can reduce the width of the sleeve to leave a portion of the product visible. This also helps to reduce your packaging costs as more sleeves can be printed on one sheet during the manufacturing process.
Clever die cut shapes/ die cut windows cut into your packaging can be a great way of framing your product and tie in with your branding.
- Choose appropriate colours and messaging
Different colours evoke different feelings – therefore, it is important that your choice of colours reflects your brand messaging and promotes your product in the best way. For example, red colours are associated with heat, passion and excitement; blue with calming and trust; black luxury and premium; and green with nature and sustainability.
- Special printing embellishments?
Want to add a little unique touch to your packaging – one cost-effective way to make it stand out is with printing embellishments. These include: Foil blocking, laminations, spot gloss and spot colours.
These effects are great to highlight key features, brand messaging and help it stand out from the crowd.
When using these effects, you need to make sure the effects will withstand its requirements (doesn’t deteriorate whilst in storage), has the same recycling credentials, keeps costs down but makes your product of high quality.
3. Eco credentials
Most consumers expect packaging to be at least recyclable, so it’s a good idea to make sure your inks and printing embellishments can be recycled.
Some printers, including Newton Print, are certified by the World Land Trust, where the paper and printed materials used have been carbon balanced and our operational carbon footprint has been offset.
We also use recycled products and our packaging can be 100% recycled and biodegradable, making them an excellent choice for sustainable food packaging.
4. Luxury product?
Is your ready meal a luxury product with a premium price tag? To reinforce the luxury experience, you could consider packaging your ready meal in a reusable container like a ceramic dish that the consumer can use again repeatedly.
Your packaging needs to meet your consumer’s expectations if you are asking for a premium price and producing a premium product. You should aim to receive good reviews (including positive comments about your packaging) and encourage repeat custom.
Get in touch with our team of friendly experts to see how we can create packaging to meet your ready meal and home delivery requirements.
Looking for inspiration? View our case studies
