Packaging Test Goes Mobile – a case study

Background

At the end of 2016, a leading baby food manufacturer developed new infant formula packaging with various design elements. Before launching the new packaging, the company wanted to test how consumers used it in as realistic a setting as possible. To this end, a quantitative handling test was conducted with mothers of babies aged 0 to 24 months. 

Method

The chosen test method was an in-home interview followed by a one-week period of using the product at home. The interviewer gave each participant a pack of infant formula.

In order to gain the most precise and genuine picture possible of how the participants handled the new packaging, which parts of the packaging they used and how, and which parts they liked and found useful, the interviewer used a smartphone camera to film their initial encounter with the packaging. The rest of the interview was also conducted by smartphone.

Results

The videos enabled shortcomings in the packaging to be identified that, in some cases, the participants did not raise themselves or did not perceive as problematic. The videos also shed light on which parts of the packaging consumers need and use, as well as on whether consumers find completely different ways of using the packaging during their day-to-day lives with their baby/toddler, e.g. when they need to act quickly.

The combination of the videos and survey data meant that the study provided a realistic picture of how relevant the various parts of the packaging really are. It also gave very helpful pointers in terms of what to take into account when developing new packaging.

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