CPI hails new corrugated shelf-ready packaging

The Confederation of Paper Industries (CPI) has hailed the collaboration of two corrugated companies, involved in producing new packaging for a leading UK roasted ground coffee supplier, as an excellent example of the flexibility and innovation that the sector offers retailers and brand owners.

The two board converters teamed up to develop new-style corrugated Shelf-Ready Packaging (SRP) as part of a rebranding exercise by Taylors of Harrogate for its lifestyle range of coffees. The new-style SRP not only enhances visibility on-shelf but also makes the products easier to identify and handle back of store.

Taylors' packaging buyer, Matt Hunt, believes that because each variant of corrugated SRP carries two or three additional colours for the text and graphics, the products' easily identifiable outer packaging is having a direct in-store benefit way before it comes under consumer scrutiny.

"Research shows that if shelf-stackers can't readily identify a particular product back of store, then they're likely not to bother to go looking for it because of pressure on time," Hunt said. "The result is slow or non-existent replenishment."

Key to the project's successful outcome was the use of virtually identical production equipment and the same consumables by the separate corrugated suppliers contracted in accordance with Taylors' requirements.

CPI's Director of Packaging Affairs, Andy Barnetson, said, "There are many benefits that have been brought to bear in support of Taylors' sales & marketing strategy through the development and implementation of this corrugated SRP application.

"To name but three: the introduction of strong messaging in support of the brand on-shelf; the simple yet hugely effective use of solid flood colour coats to facilitate restocking in-store, and, given the appropriate level of expertise, the capability of test liner to match Kraft in terms of print reproduction.”