Consumers browsing a typical supermarket aisle or chilled cabinet are confronted by thousands of different brands and products, all vying for their attention. Clearly, standing out is important, but the science behind how and why consumers choose one particular brand or product over others runs far deeper than simply being “eye-catching”. Product differentiation, as it’s called, has many aspects both in theory and in practice – and is a topic that has engaged Jonas Eklund for most of his working life.
After gaining his degree in Graphic Design from the Danish Graphic Arts Institute, Eklund has spent the last 22 years as Tetra Pak’s Graphic Designer for Northern Europe, working closely with our marketing department and brands to ensure their packaging designs succeed. And with many brands continuing to lean on the popularity of gable top packages for their chilled food and beverages – particularly when it comes to dairy – his expertise in helping producers stand out in the right way is more in demand than ever.
So why is optimising your food and beverage packaging designs so crucial? “The package is what we call ‘The Silent Salesperson’,” says Eklund. “The retail shelf is where your product meets the consumer, and if the design doesn't really work in that environment, it won't be bought. So, it’s an integral part of the marketing mix.”
Eklund also points out the key differences between product differentiation and more traditional advertising and graphic design, such as print ads and TV commercials. “When consumers are browsing the aisles, you only have a few seconds to grab their attention, so you really need to focus on the core aspects of your design. The guiding principle here is: Does the package communicate the one or two things you want to get across within that time span? And that's quite a challenge.”
“When consumers are browsing the aisles, you only have a few seconds to grab their attention”
Jonas Eklund,
Graphic Designer for Northern Europe
Clarity connects, so keep it simple
Indeed, it is. One common mistake that Eklund sees all too frequently is cramming too many elements onto the front of a package, creating a jumble of information. Simplicity here is fundamental – the package and branding don’t just have to sell the product but also create recognition and familiarity. Colours are important too, as is font size and style; they need to be immediate and attention-grabbing, but also relevant to the cues and context of that particular product category. This is particularly important in chilled dairy, a traditionally “conservative” category when it comes to design. Too jarring or daring can be disastrous – your product will simply “disappear” on the shelf.
“You have to create a connection with the product, as consumers tend to be quite safe and traditional when it comes to choices,” says Eklund. “The trick is to make it look like a typical product in your category, but also really challenge the design of that category. It should stand out and be different."
Design in three dimensions: Every surface can tell a story
Other advice he gives food brands includes considering the three-dimensional aspect of the packaging, using all available surfaces for important information or more detailed storytelling and talking to retailers to understand how and where the package will be displayed (the perils of hidden areas caused by secondary packaging). And now, three dimensions doesn’t simply refer to clever use of all sides, and the top and bottom, of the package – thanks to the micro debossing effect of Tetra Pak® Debossing, brands can add dimension, texture, and emotion to their package, creating a tactile story for their consumers to hold in their hands.
A key part of making micro debossing work, Eklund explains, is approaching it not only as a visual effect but as a tactile one – a way to invite physical engagement. “Don’t view it as decoration or something to catch the eye, but as something the consumer can feel,” he says. Brands can create their own bespoke patterns, giving them a distinctive, ownable layer of identity that subtly reinforces recognition without overwhelming the packaging or the printed visuals. Used thoughtfully, this “ghost” or “shade” layer can add real depth to an otherwise solid surface. But he notes that it should sit slightly apart from the printed artwork. “If it’s too aligned with the print, the print will always dominate. Separating them makes the effect appear more.”
Placement is equally important. Eklund encourages designers to step into the shoes of the consumer – quite literally. “It’s always useful to be a consumer for a moment and think about which surfaces you actually hold when using the package,” he says. Applying the tactile effect in those high-touch zones can create a surprisingly powerful moment of connection. Consumers instinctively notice the contrast because that’s where the hand naturally lands, helping the package feel more premium, more intentional, and ultimately, more memorable.
Then there are folds and flaps to consider, along with how design elements go over or under them. Packaging is, after all, a 3D object, and what can look great on a screen or laid out flat can appear very different in its final form. This is “Graphic origami”; flaps and folds can be designed to continue an element or offer a break or contrast. Eklund uses the package visualiser tool to create renders and 3D images to check design alignment and test consumer reaction.
Trust in data-driven design: Consumer insights backed by science
The latter is, of course, of vital importance. Recent years have seen the rise of computer programs and AI that can track consumers’ eye and attention movements while scanning shelves, giving brands clear data to base design decisions on. For example, tools like the 3M Visual Attention Software score the “probability a part of your visual is seen within the first seconds of seeing an image” and highlight specific “gaze points”; this can be applied to individual packages, or a whole section of shelving. The results, says Eklund, “give you hints on how to create hierarchy or organise your elements to create the best visual grab. It gives you tangible results based on science, as opposed to just saying: ‘I like this design’.”
Such tools are especially useful when deciding on specific design elements; for example, one brand found that changing the brand name to a dark blue increased its visibility to 71%, a significant jump from other colours. It’s all part of Eklund's holistic approach to packaging design; it takes many elements to create a design that resonates and meets sales targets.
Find out more about data driven design in our Science and Innovation Talk event: Design with precise data: academic insights, customer benefits
Bring campaigns to life with subtle, tactile effects
Tetra Pak® Debossing also opens the door to playful, interactive ideas that give consumers a reason to pick up – and engage with – the package. Because the effect is subtle, brands can hide small figures, icons, or logos within the surface, creating a tactile “treasure hunt” that encourages people to explore the whole pack. “You can even make it a small game,” Eklund notes. “Hiding something, or asking consumers to count how many of a certain shape they can find by touch, is something completely new.” This tactile layer becomes a moment of discovery, adding emotional value without disturbing the main design.
Seasonal or limited-edition ranges are another area where debossing shines. Instead of redesigning the entire pack, or compromising a premium look with overt seasonal graphics, brands can add a temporary layer of debossed elements that preserve the core visual identity while signalling something new. “For Christmas, for example, you can add snowflakes across the pack,” says Eklund. “It doesn’t change the look too much, but it gives this extra feeling that something special is happening.” Because the effect sits independently from the printed artwork, it can be applied consistently across flavours or product lines, creating a cohesive campaign that drives attention – and sales – without the cost or complexity of a redesign.
Build clear value tiers through texture and finish
Tetra Pak® Artistry also offers brands a powerful toolkit for differentiating products within their own portfolio. Eklund describes it as a “brand-building tool” that can signal tiered value at a glance. A premium SKU might carry a tactile debossed layer, while an organic range could lean on the natural cues of Tetra Pak® Craft’s brown board. The ability to apply these effects selectively creates clear visual and tactile hierarchies. “You can use them to separate premium from standard, or organic from everyday products,” he explains. “It gives you more opportunities to use package effects to differentiate within your own portfolio.”
The introduction of Tetra Pak® Matte Finish – a matte finish on standard whiteboard – further expands those possibilities. Previously, only Tetra Pak® Craft offered a matte, velvety surface, something many brands desired but didn’t always want tied to a “brown paper” aesthetic. “There’s been demand for a hybrid,” Eklund notes. “A matte surface on a normal package, without the brown board.” Now, brands can mix and match: premium lines with Tetra Pak® Debossing, organic lines with matte finishes (whether Tetra Pak® Craft or Tetra Pak® Matte Finish), and core products with the classic, standard look. For larger portfolios, these effects become strategic tools, allowing designers to fine-tune cues such as premiumness, naturalness, and category positioning with far greater precision – while still maintaining a unified brand identity.
Design your package for online channels
One new aspect of this is the rise of online shopping, and how your package will appear as a thumbnail on a screen. This shift from the physical to the digital realm creates unique demands that brands may not always be aware of. For example, online, you have no concept of size impression, so designers have started putting the product's weight or volume in large fonts in prominent positions. Similarly, they've been removing smaller elements for a cleaner overall design, and enlarging key messages; a product claim, perhaps, the brand name, or a defining characteristic.
The benefits of doing this can be significant; a combined Unilever and University of Cambridge study found that using packaging with optimised hero images and messaging for online portals could increase sales by as much as 24%. “It's about bringing forward important elements that you take for granted in a supermarket environment,” says Eklund, “and adapting product packaging to specific channels.”
It’s an area that's constantly evolving, both in terms of the science of measurement and specific design trends. Regarding the latter, there are many new developments that savvy brands are tapping into. Responsible consumption is an important driver of consumer behaviour, as is leaning on a product's heritage or legacy; straightforward, easy convenience, encapsulated by very simple, clean designs, is another.
Take advantage of the billboard effect
Then there’s the concept of billboard packaging; put simply, this is taking advantage of many flat facing panels on a shelf to create a continuous design effect. It’s complicated, but can be “very rewarding,” says Eklund. Besides, considering this effect is another absolute must. “It's a good exercise to consider what happens when you have many of your packages sitting together. Does it look terrible? Is there an element you can change to make the design work across multiple panels? And it all comes back to catching the consumer’s eye.”
Ultimately, this is what product differentiation comes down to – connecting the dots between grabbing your attention, recognising the brand or product, and taking it from the shelf or clicking “buy”. “One of my teachers used to always say: ‘Yeah, it's nice, but does it communicate?’” says Eklund. “If a package is just cool or good to look at but doesn’t convey anything beyond that, it’s more like art. It has to work in the sense of connecting with consumers and prompting their behaviour; otherwise, it’s a failure.”
5 tips for optimising product differentiation
