High Quality vs. Low Quality Packaging for Legal Cannabis Products

Customers notice the difference between high-quality and low-quality cannabis packaging, and it can influence their purchasing decisions - even if only subconsciously.

If you decide to cut corners and use low-quality materials and unattractive imagery thinking cannabis products will sell themselves, you will be sorely mistaken. This is a highly competitive industry with a tight regulatory framework that is constantly changing. With product packaging being a primary differentiator in the retail space, it’s important to get this right.

Here are a few things to consider when designing quality marijuana product packaging:

Cannabis Packaging Substrates and Materials

There are dozens of packaging materials and substrates available and each one comes with it’s own sets of pros and cons. The types of materials you choose for your packaging will say a lot about your product, it’s perceived value, and who it is meant for.

Most packaging types will fall into one of the following categories:

• Rigid packaging - These utilize hard, inflexible materials such as metal glass. Examples of rigid packaging option will include glass jars, concentrate container, dropper bottles and other similar packages. These typically come with high value perception and are used for higher-end marijuana products.
• Semi rigid packaging - These are materials that are mostly inflexible but have some give, such as plastic or aluminum. Examples can include plastic bottles or jars, and plastic childproof containers. Semi rigid packaging is more affordable than rigid packaging and offers a similar amount of protection.
• Flexible packaging - These are made from soft, flexible materials such as paper, thin plastic, or foil. Examples can include plastic bags, cardboard boxes, or foil wraps. Flexible packaging is typically lightweight, affordable, and comes with a lower value perception than other packaging types.

When considering packaging materials and substrates, it is recommended that you work with a packaging provider who has onsite structural engineers. They will be able to help you design the perfect custom packaging solution for your product.

The Right Visual Appeal for Cannabis Packaging

Creating cannabis packaging that has shelf appeal and communicates visually with your customers is perhaps the most important concern to retailers and, therefore, should be top concern for you as well.

To successfully create shelf appeal for your legal marijuana product, your packaging design will answer these two main questions:

• Who are my buyer personas? For example, is your product intended for medicinal cannabis users, or recreational users? Is it meant for the elderly or for younger people? Your product packaging should identify and speak to its intended audience.
• How will customers come across my product? Understanding the environment in which your product will be sold is another major consideration. For example, if your product will be held behind the counter, it should have large text and a simple design to make it easier to read.

In a lot of cases, customers tend to prefer cannabis packaging that lets them see the product and possibly even touch it. If you can work this into your design, you should see improved retail performance. The main takeaway is this: the right cannabis packaging design and structural engineering can increase sales and help your brand hit its revenue goals.

Top-Selling Cannabis Packaging Must Have a Unified Design

No matter what type of product you are selling, who you are selling it to, or where it will be sold, having unified cannabis packaging design is a must. What this means is that the graphics, text, and structural design of the package should all complement and strengthen each other.

This kind of unification can only be achieved by a printer who has both graphic designers and structural engineers working together in-house. Whenever one or more parts of the design process is outsourced, a disconnect is formed and small details can be overlooked.

Working with a printing and cannabis packaging partner who keeps the entire design process in-house is essential to creating high-quality cannabis packaging at an affordable cost.

Creating the Desired Effects

Keep in mind that high-quality packaging doesn’t necessarily mean that you are using the most expensive materials. High-quality packaging simply means that it meets customer expectations in terms of physical heft and weight, appearance, visual appeal, and overall quality while mirroring the value of the product.

The best printing partners know how to create your desired effects for less, without cutting corners or sacrificing quality. This requires that a printer have the right technology, extreme attention to detail, and a full understanding the needs of their clients.