Update: Upcoming Wine Packaging Trends

Summer is in full swing, and we’re noticing a few more trends in the wine industry! We published a post about Upcoming 2021 Wine Packaging Trends at the beginning of the year, so we thought we’d share an update to the original:

There have been quite a few new wine packaging trends throughout the last few months that will continue to play a role in the industry for 2021. Some of these are:

Adapting to E-Commerce

A trend accelerated by COVID, online alcohol sales more than doubled in the first few months of the pandemic, with wine enjoying the largest success, making up nearly 70% of total online retail sales. Purchasing wine online has become even easier with delivery apps like Skip the Dishes and Uber Eats, subscription boxes like Winc, and direct-to-consumer websites. This shift in online shopping means that wine brands have to consider visual appeal and convenience even more so when creating their packaging in order to stand out to customers on the screen.

All in the Design

Again, it’s essential to design for both e-commerce and in-store when creating your wine packaging. Whether you’re designing shrink sleeves or labels, visual appeal is hugely influential in the alcohol industry, and luxe finishes go a long way.

So far this year, we’re noticing bold designs and colours proving popular for wine labels or shrink sleeves. In addition, many brands are opting for a uniquely shaped label die line or an atypical-sized bottle to stand out from competitors.

Building a Connection

Consumers care about the products they purchase and the brand that they are buying. Augmented Reality (AR) is becoming increasingly popular for wine products to help build a connection with consumers and share an authentic story behind the wine and brand. Further, you can use this technology to share food pairings for your wine, connect your social media platforms, and share many other more pieces of information that can add value to the overall customer experience.

Canned & Convenient

With restrictions easing and outdoor gatherings becoming more frequent in the summer, cans have become an even more popular packaging option for alcoholic beverages like ready-made cocktails and wine. In addition to their convenient and hygienic benefits, canned wine also achieves the following:

• Budget-Conscious: Allows customers to purchase a single serving of wine without having to purchase an entire bottle.
• Low Risk: Portion-sized products enable consumers to try a range of brands with low risk instead of buying several different bottles of wine.
• Sustainable Benefits: Using a perforated shrink sleeve allows consumers to easily recycle their can after use!

Whether you're looking for shrink sleeves for cans or labels for bottles, reach out to one of our packaging experts to find out how to take your packaging to the next level.