Updates in the Cannabis Packaging Market

The cannabis market is evolving rapidly. The legalization movement continues to expand across North America, crossover products like CBD-infused water are making cannabis more “mainstream,” and e-commerce is enabling easy access for consumers. With all of these updates, there are three big focuses we see in the cannabis packaging market for 2021:

Full-Scale Legislation

Although legal in Canada, the legality of cannabis in the United States varies from state to state. This makes selling cannabis nationwide more difficult as brands have to stay on top of the latest consumer trends and legislation updates, which affects packaging significantly. However, full-scale cannabis legalization seems to be a strong possibility in the not-so-distant future. This will allow easier distribution across North America for cannabrands of all sizes, further accelerating the growing market.

Protection & Security

Counterfeiters have caused severe problems for many brands selling high-end products, and cannabis is no exception. With brand image and credibility on the line, cannabis companies are focused on integrating authentication technologies into their packaging, such as watermarks, QR codes, and micro text.

Strong Branding

As the cannabis market grows and diversifies, packaging design has become increasingly important as brands need to stand out on the shelf and online. Some current design trends in the cannabis market are:

• Retro-Inspired Graphics: Under-saturated pastels and clean flat graphics are proving to be popular. The use of serif font, bold ampersands and illustrations convey a hand-made artisanal touch.
• Specialty Finishes: Finishes like embossing and metallic inks can make your packaging look unique and create a luxurious feel, adding value to your product.
• Sustainable Materials: Consumers are demanding sustainable packaging across almost every industry, and cannabis is no exception. Whether that’s achieved by using recyclable materials, post-consumer waste, or even downgauging where possible, there are many sustainable alternatives to choose from.

Reach out to our packaging experts for more information or request a quote online here.