Over the last 12 months, 82% of people stated they have used connected packaging, compared to 81% in 2023 and 54% in 2022, according to the latest results from creative technology studio Appetite Creative and Domino Printing Sciences (Domino).
The third annual connected packaging survey explored how the barriers to using connected packaging have changed year-on-year. Only 9% stated that connected packaging wasn’t a business requirement for this year, showing fluctuating business priorities compared to 7% in the 2023 survey and a third (29%) in 2022 of respondents claiming the same.
According to the survey, increased investment in digital marketing spend is up year-on-year to 96%, compared to 88% in 2023 vs. 59% in 2022. Despite the increase, the number of respondents who plan to spend on connected packaging campaigns dropped slightly, with over a third (33%) planning to spend between $15,000 to $30,000 this year. A quarter (25%) plans to spend $31,000 to $50,000, down by 17% points year-on-year (previously 42%).
‘At Domino, we’re seeing increased interest from customers about the uses and benefits of deploying connected experiences via product packaging, especially across the circular economy, for medical equipment instructions and FMCG stock management. Demand is likely to rise with more packaging legislation expected,’ said Craig Stobie, Director of Global Strategic Sectors at Domino.
88% of respondents claim to be planning a connected packaging campaign this year. With 80% of respondents citing that connected packaging will be increasingly important to the packaging industry in the next 12 months and beyond, a drop of 12% points year-on-year (previously 92%).
11% said connected packaging is an environmentally sustainable way to connect with and educate customers, while 78% agree that connected packaging helps to improve the sustainability credentials of a company, a drop year-on-year from 91% in 2023 and 80% in 2022.
Jenny Stanley, Managing Director at Appetite Creative, said, ‘It’s also interesting to see sustainability drop down the agenda despite new government-led regulations.
She added, ‘We’re seeing an overall desire to increase investment in digital advertising this year and a stable investment in connected packaging. It’s great to see the perceived value of data collection through connected packaging rising, especially in the context of the imminent demise of third-party cookie data.’
Featured image: Mitya Ivanov / Unsplash
