As with most industries, there comes a time when the target audiences shifts. When this happens, industries must make way for this change – or face becoming irrelevant to the new consumer.
Each generation brings something different to the commercial industries, and ‘millennials’ are no different. Studies show that 21% of adults in the UK don’t drink alcohol at all, a drastic shift in alcohol consumption that the drinks packaging industry has not seen before – which is a result of the impact that millennials have on the market.
Also known as Generation Y, millennials are typically people who were born from the early 1980s, up to the mid -1990s. These people are often referred to as the generation that has caused one of the biggest increases in open-minded approaches to economics and politics, as well as the further implementation of media, technology and communications. Due to the age of this group, many millennials have experienced the great recession, and it has had an impact on a variety of aspects of their lives.
While it can seem like a waste of time for brands to change the way that they work just for millennials, it’s important to consider the knock-on effect that this refusal to adapt can have. For every new generation or change in audience, industries have adjusted their techniques and business models – which is a completely normal and ultimately cost-effective approach.
As audiences become more health conscious and shift towards preferring eco-friendly products, the drink packaging industry, among many other industries, must address this change in consumer habits. By ignoring these changes, it becomes easy for industries to become obsolete – as they no longer offer services that customers want.
Some of the key trends in the drinks packaging industry for millennials focus on being green. As a result of this, glass is a popular material amongst millennials due to its eco-friendly nature and how it can be recycled or reused. Premium products at an only semi-premium price also tick millennial consumer boxes; this can be achieved without large decorative labels. This can then be replaced by clean labels that specify ingredients and other important information alongside a clear resin faux wax seal, decorative coin or badge to develop your brand story without cluttering the bottle and keeping the ‘clean’ look. Studies show that when it comes to millennial consumers, clean labels impact beverage flavour selection. This is important to pay attention to, as it can affect the sales of your product.
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