It’s hard to believe that online grocery sales are expected to reach $100 billion by 2025 (if not sooner). We are living in a modern day in age where people have packed scheduled and limited free time. We’re over stimulated by media and all of the options that are available to enhance and optimize our daily lives. One way that people are creating more efficiency in their personal lives is through online grocery shopping.
With approximately 20% of grocery retail going to the online market, it’s critical for the packaging industry to create improved packaging processes to make sure groceries can make it from the distributors to consumers without spillage, waste, rotting, and other damages. This is an exciting time for packaging because of the endless possibilities that we can offer to grocery vendors and their customers.
Challenges in Online Grocery Shopping
Food packaging on its own presents many challenges for food manufacturers. From safety and compliance to consumer demands, food manufacturers have to be on the top of their game to maintain their sales and comply with regulations.
A few ways that we help our customers deal with these challenges in food manufacturing are through creating efficient systems for washing down equipment, using sealing solutions that work in extreme temperatures, and eliminating any unnecessary touchpoints in the production line.
If food packaging wasn’t challenging enough, the e-commerce component adds an extra layer of need for an effective packaging strategy. Shipped foods endure vibrations in the transport process, have longer delays between production and delivery, and can be subject to unhealthy conditions such as temperatures and unsanitary environments. Keep reading to find out how packaging technology can mitigate or eliminate these problems.
What are consumers buying online
Many consumers are still stuck in their traditional grocery shopping patterns, but this is changing. The most popular food items that consumers are buying online are non-perishable items, including beverages, snack foods, candy, and breakfast foods. At the same time, consumers are growing more confident with purchasing perishable foods, such as dairy and meats.
The increase in consumer confidence can be explained by improved packaging and fast shipping times. Another contributor is the influence that social media plays on consumer shopping habits. Unboxing videos are a great example of the strong influence that consumers have on each other. When consumers are able to see that meats and other perishable items arrive safely packed when purchased online, they are more willing to try it themselves.
The Impact of Omni-Channel
Another reason that e-grocery shopping is becoming more popular is because of the omni-channel fulfillment model. Also referred to as ship-from-store, the omni-channel model is the concept where retailers use stock from their brick and mortar stores to fulfill e-commerce orders. This saves costs and increase the speed at which products are able to arrive to customers.
Speed is critical when shipping food, especially perishables, so the ship-from-store model is a great solution for grocery stores that want to enter into the e-grocery market. At Hughes, we create customized packaging stations for all types of retailers in the omni-channel market. These packaging stations are designed to make it safe and easy for in-store staff to package and fulfill ecommerce orders.
Packaging Technology for E-Groceries
Choosing the right packaging products for your online grocery retail is critical for succeeding in this market and keeping your customers happy. Critical considerations include the transportation, handling, and preserving the quality and sustainability of your food products. Click here to contact a Hughes packaging expert today to learn more about the food packaging technology that we have available for your business.
Smart packaging technology is key to the growth of the online grocery market. With the smart packaging technology that is available today, manufacturers are able to track each individual package, and monitor how it fares through the fulfillment process. This gives food manufacturers the ability to learn more about the products that they are shipping to make improvements and develop new solutions.
Bringing Online Grocery Shopping to your Business
Are you currently in the ecommerce grocery market or looking to expand into it? Our packaging experts are specialized in supporting our food industry customers with the unique challenges that come along with packaging foods. Click here to contact us today to learn more about our food packaging capabilities and find out if you can save money and improve your processes.