The firm's global packaging insights director Dr. Benjamin Punchard says higher income consumers are increasingly demanding that the products they buy reflect their specific
personal skin types, needs and desires and this is calling for companies to be more innovative if they are to compete.
Punchard says that based on Mintel's most recent findings; consumers care about three things when choosing luxury cosmetics: the environment, personalisation and inspiration.
Based on these key factors, he says that opportunity exists for brands willing to increase awareness in younger demographics and combine knowledge of the market, packaging trends, technology, consumer needs with inspiration from art, design and fashion.
The findings
Of the US consumers asked about the factors that sway them in choosing a product, the highest amount coming in at 51% said 'Eco-Friendly packaging'.
Thus, the global packaging insights director put together the below features brands can incorporate to meet this demand.
Preserving product quality: Airless glass packaging to preserve the freshness of the natural ingredients
Helping the consumer to choose the right amount: Concentrated Flash surface that uses a novel auto-stop squeeze dispensing system to avoid over-dosing. Redken Diamond Oil retails in a pack featuring a unique dropper for precise, no-waste dosage, he gives by way of example.
Every last drop: Home care and table sauce bottles are commonly positioned as effective for getting the most out of the pack and this can be inspirational for cosmetic applications.
Prepare yourself/customize: With 1 in 4 US consumers indicating a customized product as one of the ways they define luxury, brands offering consumers the option to have their own functionality will be valuable.
Limited Edition Labels: Using unexpected colours and textures for labels of products with strong brand recognition can catch the consumer’s eye in store
Consistent messaging: Natural products can make this claim more believable by incorporating natural elements into the packaging, such as plant-based plastics and inks