The global vitamin supplement market is experiencing rapid growth and is projected to reach a staggering valuation of $133.94 billion by 2033. Established players and new companies are flooding the market with innovative products and delivery methods designed to delight and excite consumers while helping them achieve their health and wellness goals. It is an often overlooked but critical component when bringing a product to the market.
But in a crowded marketplace, where numerous products vie for attention online and on the shelf, the question arises: how can you make your product stand out like a unicorn amidst a sea of donkeys? Surprisingly, the vitamin supplement packaging solution you choose could factor into the success or failure of your business.
In this guide, we’ll explore the evolving role of packaging, the importance of choosing the correct supplement packaging option, the most popular nutraceutical packaging options, essential packaging guidelines brand owners should know, and innovative ideas for making your packaging more appealing to consumers.
Let’s start by discussing the evolution of vitamin packaging.
How Has Vitamin Packaging Evolved?
Packaging has evolved beyond its traditional role of protecting vitamins and supplements to maintain their nutritional value and effectiveness. It is no longer solely a tool for ensuring compliance with labeling and product safety regulations. In today’s landscape, vitamin supplement packaging has transformed into a strategic asset that empowers supplement brands to gain a competitive advantage by fostering innovation, promoting sustainability, and enhancing consumer convenience.
From showcasing your brand identity via innovative smart packaging to demonstrating your commitment to sustainability via eco-friendly packaging, you can differentiate your product and attract potential customers. Plus, you can customize and personalize your packaging for added consumer convenience to stay competitive in today’s dynamic vitamin supplement market.[1]
What Are the Most Popular Packaging Solutions for Supplements and Vitamins?
An effective supplement packaging design is just as crucial as the quality of your vitamin formulation. It safeguards the product, conveys its uses and benefits, enhances your brand visibility, and offers convenience to your customers. While a simple bottle might seem uninspiring, an attractive and user-friendly packaging design can significantly reduce the likelihood of your target audience choosing a competing product.
So, what are some of the supplement packaging solutions that consumers love today?
Bottles
Bottles are the most common and versatile supplement packaging solution, suitable for tablets, capsules, gummies, softgels, or liquids. Coming in a variety of formats – plastic or glass, colored or clear, packer bottles or pop tops – bottles protect supplements inside from moisture, pests, or any physical damage. And with a custom label, even the most blank canvas of a generic bottle can transform into something eye-catching.[2][3]
Jars
A jar is another versatile blank canvas you can quickly transform with a custom label. Jars come in various shapes – cylindrical, square, or custom shapes. Since it has a wider opening than a bottle, it is often ideal for powders, tablets, and gummies. Additionally, jars make proportioning easy as they can easily accommodate scoops of various sizes. Like bottles, jars also protect the product inside from moisture, oxygen, physical damage, and pests, and you also have the option to use dark-colored glass for UV protection.[2]
Blisters
Blister packaging is another popular option that helps you achieve style and safety in your packaging design. Its defining features of transparent and robust design can help you improve product visibility and freshness, provide damage protection, maintain dosage accuracy, and enhance accessibility. Additionally, the easily customizable blister packs are easy to count, store, and carry, making them convenient for retailers and end-consumers.[4]
Stick packs
Stick packs are a popular method of delivering vitamins, supplements, and minerals. They consist of a powdered blend enclosed in a small, single-serve pack. To use, open the package, pour the contents into your preferred beverage—water, tea, or coffee—and enjoy as you go about your day. The appeal of stick packs lies in their convenience and precise dosage, making them an attractive packaging choice for both supplement brands and consumers.[5]
Pouches
Pouches are also gaining popularity as a convenient packaging option for tablets, powders, gels, or liquids. In addition to their customization and branding potential, pouches are a great way to reduce plastic waste without replacing plastic bottles every time.[2][5]
Tubes
Tubes are growing in popularity as many consumers take their supplements while on the go. Tubes are a modern and trendy option known to be portable, compact, durable, and sustainable. Tight seals on tubes can ensure accurate dosage while protecting the product from spillage or contamination. And since tubes use 100% recyclable material while using minimal energy and water, they are more sustainable than traditional packaging options.[6]
Custom Boxes
Diverging from the conventional bottle or jar packaging, the use of custom boxes introduces an element of enjoyment to supplement packaging, drawing in customers. Custom boxes provide additional protection for your product and create opportunities to connect and engage with customers as they decide whether to purchase it. One example is the inclusion of QR codes on custom boxes.
Characterized as a form of interactive supplement packaging, QR codes, when scanned, can provide consumers with a plethora of information, including nutrition details about the product, branded videos, your sustainability efforts, and much more. Providing consumers with easy access to this information at the point of sale can aid the purchasing decision process and swing the odds in your favor. [3][7]
Key Factors and Guidelines for Supplement Packaging
Supplement packaging options range from generic bottles to custom boxes, but what should you consider before selecting the right packaging option for your product? The first and foremost consideration is compliance with FDA guidelines regarding consumer information – identifying statements, ingredients, nutritional information, quality, and contact details.
After that, your priority would be to stand out from the shelves upon shelves of vitamin supplements in retail stores. At this stage, you must focus on factors like:[8]
- Meeting consumer expectations
- Clear and transparent packaging and messaging
- Developing a high-quality formulation
- Providing functional and convenient packaging
- Creating an eye-catching label design
- Interactive supplement packaging like QR codes
Innovative Ideas for Packaging Vitamin Supplements
Brand owners should recognize the value of treating supplement packaging as a strategic asset. They’re experimenting with creative packaging ideas that aim to engage customers even before they open it. Here are some innovative concepts to enhance the appeal of your packaging:
Embrace Sustainable Vitamin Packaging
Sustainability has been one of the top focus areas of companies across the globe as they try to reduce their carbon footprint and meet consumer demands for eco-friendly alternatives. Embracing sustainability in vitamin packaging can drive profitability and help you stand out from the competition.[9] As part of our ongoing commitment to sustainability, Vitaquest offers PCR and biodegradable options for bottles, jars, pouches, and gusset bags, as well as eco-friendly labels and cartons.
Ensuring Safety with Child-Resistant Supplement Packaging
Safety is a primary concern, particularly with supplements that may pose a risk to children. Partnering with an experienced and reputable contract packaging company like Vitaquest, which specializes in this sector, can help you meet regulatory requirements and safety standards.[10] For example, we provide contract manufacturing services to certain companies that explicitly request child-resistant packaging designs (i.e., using a CRC closure) for their supplements.
Customizing Packaging for Enhanced Product Appeal
A distinctive and unique packaging design can boost product appeal by incorporating clear messaging, highlighting high-quality ingredients, and featuring eye-catching designs for a standout shelf presence. However, there’s a potential drawback to excessively unconventional custom packaging, particularly for retail sales. Unusual shapes may appear awkward or occupy excessive shelf space, discouraging retailers from stocking such products. Additionally, investing extra time and money may be necessary to perfect unconventional packaging.[3][9]
Exploring NFCs (Near Field Communication) in Supplement Packaging
NFC (Near Field Communication) technology, which enables communication between devices close to each other, is transforming supplement packaging. In addition to aiding in quality control and inventory tracking, NFCs offer a fantastic way to interact with customers. They provide extra information beyond the label, allowing for a personalized experience. NFCs can also gather valuable customer data, encouraging product purchases and subscriptions.[11][12]
How to Make the Best Choice in Vitamin Supplement Packaging
Choosing the ideal packaging option for your vitamin supplements depends on two factors – what your product requires in terms of protection and the experience you want to provide to your customers:[2]
- Product Requirements
- Formulation strength
- Shelf life
- Dosage accuracy
- User Experience
- Convenience
- Brand image
- Social responsibility
Each factors into how effective and attractive your supplement packaging will be, guiding your choice of the best packaging for your vitamin supplement.
How to Choose Packaging for Your Vitamins That Sets Them Apart
As we have seen so far, vitamin packaging has the potential to help your supplements stand out in today’s fiercely competitive nutraceutical market. Key factors like the security and efficacy of the product inside, dosage accuracy, shelf life, convenience, and consumer expectations must be considered when selecting the proper supplement packaging for your product.
While navigating these factors and adhering to industry regulations can be challenging, partnering with a reliable full-service contract manufacturer or a supplement packaging company can help you overcome these obstacles. These entities provide compliance assistance and inform you about the latest market trends. They play an important role in helping you meet customer expectations by offering innovative and sustainable packaging solutions.
Supplement Packaging Trends to Look Out For
Now that we’ve explained how supplement packaging can help your product stand out in the competitive market, let’s talk about the latest trends to keep an eye on.
In a world where packaging has become a strategic asset for supplement brand owners, you can use new and innovative packaging designs to stand out online and on crowded vitamin supplement shelves.
Many factors – from consumer expectations to ensuring the safety of supplements and consumers – influence popular packaging designs. Here are some of the latest supplement packaging trends to inspire you to create eye-catching vitamin packaging that perfectly reflects your brand:
Anti-counterfeiting Packaging
Although the rapid rise and spread of e-commerce channels have made it easier for brands to reach their customers, it has also given rise to the issue of counterfeit products in many industries – and vitamin supplements are no exception.
Whether replacing the supplement products inside the packaging or trying to imitate the packaging to leverage the brand name, counterfeit vitamin supplements put consumers at risk.
In addition to potentially causing harm, counterfeit supplements can damage your brand reputation as consumers can inadvertently confuse the illegitimate products with your brand. It is inevitable as counterfeiters make it difficult for consumers to differentiate between genuine and counterfeit supplements.
Recently, anti-counterfeiting packaging has emerged as a leading supplement packaging trend, with the anti-counterfeiting pharmaceutical market expected to grow from $108.1 billion (in 2023) to $246.6 billion (in 2033) with a CAGR of 8.6%.
Supplement brands are leveraging advanced technologies to incorporate anti-counterfeiting features into their packaging that are difficult to replicate but easy to discern. Some examples of popular anti-counterfeiting packaging include color-shifting inks, holographic seals, tamper-evident labels, and specialized QR codes. These can help consumers visually inspect and identify genuine vitamin supplements.
On the other hand, authentication solutions like digital watermarking, IR-reactive inks, or taggants can help retailers ensure counterfeit products stay away from the shelves. However, you must educate your customers on your anti-counterfeiting packaging measures so they can identify the genuine products and give them channels to report suspicious activity.[1]
Bold Colors and Minimalist Design
Bold colors, coupled with minimalist and simple designs, have become a popular choice, especially among younger consumers. A clean, minimalist design is a great way to emphasize the simplicity, elegance, and the product’s ease of use while catering to consumers looking for clean, informative, and display-worthy packaging.
Coupling this with vibrant colors, unique typography, and purposeful graphics can help differentiate your product online and on the shelf, allowing it to grab the attention of your target customer.[2]
Innovative Packaging Materials
Another popular supplement packaging trend is the use of innovative packaging materials. Consumers around the globe are asking supplement brands to be environmentally conscious and use sustainable and eco-friendly materials in their packaging.
Responding to this growing demand, many supplement brands utilize unique and unusual packaging materials – such as biodegradable plastics, recycled paper, or plant-based fibers. It serves a two-fold purpose, allowing the brands to be eco-friendly and sustainable while creating eye-catching designs that differentiate your brand from the competition.
The packaging materials you use have a great potential to convey the brand values you hold dear while ensuring your product gets noticed. However, achieving the desired brand image, functionality, and differentiation cannot come at the expense of cost-effectiveness.
You must incorporate innovative packaging materials and designs that reflect your brand image into your vitamin packaging while being conscious of the costs and ensuring you do not make the supplements unaffordable for your target consumers. Consulting and working with the packaging experts at Vitaquest can help you navigate material complexities and regulations effectively to bring innovative and unique packaging to grab your customers’ attention.
Packaging for the Modern Consumer
No matter what supplement packaging trend you incorporate into your vitamin supplement packaging, you must prioritize your current and potential customers and be mindful of the latest trends.
Today’s consumers expect easy-to-read, clean labels outlining the product’s ingredients and convenient, portable, and easy-to-use supplement packaging. Look no further than the increased use of travel-friendly packaging, single-use packaging with pre-measured dosage, flexible pouches, single-serve pouches, and stick packages for easy, convenient, and portable storage. Making sure easy-to-store and portable packaging options are available – along with traditional packaging – can help ensure your consumers have numerous packaging options available to meet their varying needs.[3]
How Can Vitaquest Help You Manufacture and Package High-quality Dietary Supplements?
Vitaquest has provided world-class contract supplement manufacturing, packaging design, particle and powder engineering services, and order fulfillment solutions to global brand owners for over 45 years. Our team possesses extensive expertise in manufacturing products in various dosage formats and always considers how packaging affects product quality, shelf life, and the consumer experience.
To learn more about our contract supplement manufacturing and packaging services, call 800-526-9095 to speak with one of our knowledgeable sales executives or request a competitive nutraceutical manufacturing price quote.
References:
- https://www.amcor.com/insights/blogs/the-power-of-packaging-for-vitamins-and-supplements
- https://brookandwhittle.com/best-packaging-for-supplements/
- https://www.sttark.com/blog/complete-guide-to-vitamin-supplement-packaging
- https://www.ipharmachine.com/advantages-and-disadvantages-of-blister-packaging
- https://impacx.io/blog/different-types-of-vitamin-packaging/
- https://ace-packaging.com/printed-packaging-blog/why-supplement-companies-are-turning-to-tube-packaging/
- https://www.sttark.com/custom-cartons/custom-vitamin-supplement-cartons
- https://www.nutraceuticalsworld.com/issues/2017-07/view_features/packaging-considerations-for-dietary-supplements/
- https://impacx.io/blog/innovative-packaging-ideas-in-the-vitamins-and-supplements-industry/
- https://www.drugplastics.com/the-importance-of-child-resistant-packaging/amp/
- https://thelabellink.com/nfc-labels-great-new-way-interact-consumers/
- https://impacx.io/blog/nfc-based-packaging/
