Constantia Flexibles is continually developing new packaging solutions that are eye-catching and reflect current trends. Having begun in November 2017, the packaging expert offers a unique comprehensive solution for interactive packaging in the food and pharmaceutical industries that opens up a multitude of digital communications and marketing opportunities. In doing so, the company offers to take on the printing and the implementation of the contents as well as the data management.

Digitalization is finding its way into all areas of our lives. A current survey conducted by Constantia Flexibles on the topic of packaging in the food industry in Germany reveals that an interactive packaging solution makes the product itself more attractive to 49% of German consumers.

According to Alexander Baumgartner, CEO of Constantia Flexibles: “Besides protection, the role of packaging is also to attract the attention and the interest of consumers. With Constantia Interactive, we provide a packaging feature that is an important marketing tool, one that meets the needs of the end customer and supplies additional information in a simple way.”

The unique character of Constantia Interactive is in its combination of digitally readable packaging material with a digital platform for data management and a smartphone app customizable to a wide range of customer needs. The big advantage here is the control over the data collected which can be provided directly to the customer as a part of the comprehensive solution.

The digital features span from purely informative, such as instructions for use, through videos and games, to contests that can be individually selected by the customer.

Packaging with added services

Consumers must have access to adequate information about products. The Constantia Interactive app has created additional services by offering direct access to additional information at any time.

The chat bot allows users to ask individual questions about the product that may not be easily answered by the packaging insert. The package insert itself is also accessible in a digital format through the app – if the printed version is ever lost or mislaid, users will also have it digitally. Using the search function, the text can be combed through for a certain term or terms, and the font size and language can also be adjusted.

In combination with a digital anti-counterfeiting identification such as watermark or another digitally readable code, Constantia Interactive is also an effective means of identifying counterfeit products.

A marketing tool to “wow” the customer

Using a smartphone app developed specifically for each brand, the consumer scans the packaging for a variety of identifying features such as image analysis, digital watermark, radio frequency identification (RFID) tags, and the like which then appear in augmented reality.

“In this way, the application is personalized to the respective company or brand and corresponds to the respective brand design. The company itself controls what features are shown. Constantia Interactive is an efficient, personalized marketing tool to ‘wow’ the customer,” explains Baumgartner.

Interact with the consumer

According to the survey conducted in Germany by Constantia Flexibles, 69% of those surveyed would rather buy or at least take from the shelf food with interactive packaging than a similar product without an interactive feature.

Interactive packaging also influences product brands in general. Of those surveyed, 66% consider a brand with interactive elements included in its packaging to be in step with the times.

“With Constantia Interactive, we have developed an innovative packaging solution that delivers what companies need as well as giving the customers what they want,” says Baumgartner.