What constitutes convenience?

With the increase in demands on consumer time comes an increase in their desire for convenient package. But what, exactly, makes a package convenient?

Generally speaking, products that are easy to use throughout the entire cycle of consumer interaction – easy to buy, carry, store, handle, prepare, consume, save and dispose of – are considered to be convenient, states "Food and Beverage Packaging Trends in the U.S.," a June 2012 report from market research firm Packaged Facts, a division of Rockville, Md.-based MarketResearch.com. In terms of packaging, convenience also can mean its resealable, easy to pour and serve, spill-proof, easy to heat up (or reheat) and/or allows the consumer to eat out of the container, the report adds.

Additionally, packaging that allows for faster and easier assembly of products, that keeps products fresher for longer and that is easier to store in a crowded freezer or pantry is considered to be convenient, states Nanda Sibol, director brand strategy, Anthem, San Francisco, Calif.

"Convenience isnt only about ease of use, although that remains a priority," says Suley Muratoglu, vice president of marketing and product development, Tetra Pak Inc., Vernon Hills, Ill. "Consumers are seeing size, ease of storage and of disposal drive the need for greater efficiency in their day-to-day lives."

Waste not
As more consumers become aware of their carbon footprint, waste reduction factors highly into what makes a product convenient to consumers.

Consumers do not like to waste products, states Greg Feinberg, president, Aisle 9 Group, Thousand Oaks, Calif. Waste can mean unnecessary packaging (that also can be difficult to open) or it can mean product spoilage because the packaging did not help to preserve it, he explains.

One way to decrease packaging waste and increase convenience for consumers is by creating recyclable packaging.

"There is a strong correlation between convenience and the ability to recycle packaging," says Glenn Pfeifer, executive creative director, Galileo Global Branding Group, Daymon Worldwide, Stamford, Conn. "If a package is especially convenient, consumers expect it will likely be easy to recycle."

And while there always will be those consumers who are motivated primarily by cost, many others are prepared to pay extra for a packaging design that avoids waste, states Adrian Whitefoord, partner, P&W Design Consultants, Manhattan Beach, Calif.

Smaller is better
For many consumers, smaller package sizes are key to reducing waste and increasing convenience.

"Packaging that offers single use or smaller, more customized sizes is preferable and perceived as more convenient," Feinberg says.

Not only are the lesser amounts of product more likely to be used up, thus preventing waste in that sense, but also smaller sizes create on-the-go portability.

"As consumers continue to lead busy lives away from home, both in their professional and leisure time, smaller portions have become an important new sector for growth," Muratoglu says.

For example, consumers want to know if the product they are about to buy will fit in their cars cup holder, in their pocket or in their purse, says Todd Ostendorf, creative director, Directions Marketing, Neenah, Wis. Consumers need to be able to envision how it will be used and how it will be stored.

Pfeifer gives the example of single-serving to-go soups that have a much higher cost per ounce, but are being purchased because of the convenience they offer to time-starved consumers. Another example is food packaged in cup-holder-compatible forms such as Whole Foods cut fruit and vegetables, breakfast parfaits and lunch items, adds Deborah Smith Read, creative director, Anthem, San Francisco, Calif.

Visual interest
No matter how convenient it is, packaging still must attract the consumer visually.

"Good packaging must engage with customers, catch their eye and act as on shelf advertising – but unlike TV advertising, your audience is not a captive one [and so] your persuasion time is reduced from 15 to 30 seconds to around 3 seconds," Whitfoord explains. "Convenience is not just about the handling qualities of a pack and how easy it is to open; it means good hierarchy of information, and prioritizing of callouts/features."

It is the graphic design that makes the products easy to shop for and recognizable from a distance, Read adds.