3 Cannabis Packaging Tips for 2021

The legal marijuana market is exploding with growth. Experts expect it to reach 73.6 billion by the year 2027.[1]

The compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2020 and 2027 is at 26.4%. A big part of it is the expanding recreational market in the United States. However, the bulk of the market growth is coming from the medical sector.

As countries around the world adopt cannabis as a potential remedy for medical conditions like glaucoma, Tourettes, Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, epilepsy, and arthritis, pharmaceutical companies are hopping on the bandwagon.

It's a competitive market without a doubt, but with experts projecting cannabis extract sales alone to hit $28.5 billion by 2027– there is plenty of room in all sectors —medical, CBD, recreational, etc.—for newcomers to profit.

Knowing there will be customers for your budding cannabis business, how should you package your cannabis products despite some healthy competition?

1. Grab Attention From The Right Buyers Only

It's important to design your cannabis packaging in a way that draws the attention of your target audience – and not the attention of others.

Before drawing up your ideas, consider who else your packaging might attract. If you produce edibles like cookies or gummies for example, using flashy colors and descriptions like delicious, delectable, or tasty might seem like smart marketing. But, you could also draw the attention of children if the product is left in a place where they can reach it.

This is just one consideration in the packaging design process. Packaging your legal cannabis products in a way that attracts your intended audience is key, not only for getting your goods into the right hands but for overall brand consistency as well.

2. Create a Reassuring Design

When you are neck-deep in the industry, it's easy to lose sight of the notion that many people are still getting used to the idea of legal cannabis. Remember, for much of the public, marijuana —even prescribed medicinal marijuana—may still be a little taboo.

After all, government policy has railed against marijuana for decades, and only recently changed course. Creating a design that reassures consumers that your product is safe and legitimate is a good idea.

You may want to try a sophisticated, minimalistic approach.

Simple graphics on premium packaging material is a great way to build trust with your intended market. It also helps with brand recognition. People are likely to remember a product with a clean package design with a luxurious feel.

3. Use Sustainable Packaging

Advocates for recreational marijuana and industrial hemp have long been at the vanguard of environmental movements. Today, people are more environmentally conscious than ever before. A 2018 study done by Nielson Global Connect revealed that 73% of consumers would change their consumption habits to reduce their environmental impact.[2] To unpack this further, 41% of consumers are willing to pay more for organic products made with sustainable materials.

This means if your product is sitting next to a green, sustainably packaged product, and yours is not, seven out of ten \customers are likely to choose your environmentally conscientious competitor, even if your product is more affordable.

Evening playing field with the competition means you must make sustainable packaging a priority, even if it costs a little more. Many companies find the extra expense using sustainable packaging is negligible. Manufacturers produce standard packaging (PET plastics) at a much higher volume than sustainable materials, but this is starting to change. With oil prices rising and an growing consumer support for environmentally-friendly brands , recycled plastics are often cheaper than using new plastics .[3]

If you partner with printing and packaging experts who are well-versed in cannabis products, they can help you source the most affordable sustainable packaging materials. They'll also be able to offer expertise on aligning your branding so that it captures the attention of your target audience, and reassures them about the safety and effectiveness of your product.

Remember, trust is the hardest the hardest thing to earn, and the easiest thing to lose. Making sure your product packaging meets customer expectations is key for long-term success with cannabis retail marketing.

[1] "Legal Marijuana Market Size Worth $73.6 Billion By 2027." https://www.grandviewresearch.com/press-release/global-legal-marijuana-market. Accessed 10 Nov. 2020.

[2] "Unpacking the Sustainability Landscape – Nielsen." 9 Nov. 2018, https://www.nielsen.com/us/en/insights/report/2018/unpacking-the-sustainability-landscape/. Accessed 10 Nov. 2020.

[3] "What's the real price of getting rid of plastic packaging? - BBC ...." 6 Jul. 2018, https://www.bbc.com/worklife/article/20180705-whats-the-real-price-of-getting-rid-of-plastic-packaging. Accessed 10 Nov. 2020.