Open Here?
We get lots and lots of new products here at Happi—makeup, skin treatments, the occasional hard surface cleaner—you name the brand and we’ve probably received a sample of it. That means that we’ve also received an enormous amount of flip-tops, squeeze tubes, aerosols and many other packaging forms, some that are easier to open than others.
Twenty years ago, the ease with which I could open a package didn’t matter. I was young, optimistic and apparently had way too much time on my hands. Today, if I can’t open that sample it gets sent to Goodwill or other local charities. For me, clamshells are the worst offenders. There is nothing on the face of this Earth—sans an ounce of gold—that makes it worth it for me to pry open a package with apair of scissors.
Nope, I have no time for poorly-packaged or over-packaged products. Apparently, I’m not alone either. Mintel International recently conducted a comprehensive study on consumer product packaging. A third of respondents said they find most packaging hard to open without scissors or a knife. With all the talk about the “new” shoppers, how long will it take consumer product companies to realize that enlightened consumers will reject hard-to-open packages in favor of more user-friendly varieties? Of course, there are many other attributes that make a good package. To learn more, read Portable Particulars, which starts on p. 75 in this issue.
Also this month, we report on the resilient natural ingredient category (p. 58). Despite the recession, consumers are still looking for “green” products, according to Associate Editor Christine Esposito.
Finally, if you’re looking for an active ingredient for your new personal care product, read All Things Active, which starts on p. 91. On a related note, more than 80 readers attended our Anti-Aging Breakfast Seminar sponsored by ISP, which was held on May 19 in New York City. Nearly everyone was pleased with the event and we received some excellent feedback to make the next breakfast seminar even better. Look for the details in upcoming issues of Happi.
We hope you enjoy this easy-to-open issue. As always, we welcome your comments and suggestions.
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