How To Design Packaging for Multiple Countries
Guest Post by Dakota Murphey
If you create products and are interested in selling them abroad as well as at home, you will need to think about the best way to create the packaging. For many products the most cost effective option is always going to be having one style of packaging that is used across multiple countries. But is this really practical?
Packaging for many countries can be achieved, but you need to follow some rules to do it well. Here we offer some advice and top tips for creating packaging for multiple countries.
Focus on imagery
Of course, the first thing to be clear on if you are making packaging that will be used across a number of different countries is that the product needs to be as clear as possible through imagery. In many cases, images can convey more about the product than words so be sure to effectively use the right kinds of images to sell it.
Look into the rules surrounding the use of images. If you want to use stock images on your product this may be possible, but you need to follow the guidelines of the image providers. Doing so can provide you with excellent images for your packaging.
Choose a packaging supplier that has experience working abroad
When you come to work with suppliers of your packaging, it is important to pick a business that has actual experience working in the countries you are looking to sell in. When you are doing your research into potential suppliers, check on their website to see if they have a section dedicated to the country.
When you work with a packaging company that has already supplied their materials abroad in the past, you know they are equipped to deal with your needs. This can prevent you going through the frustrating process of arranging for all of the packaging to be created only to later find out that what they supply cannot be used in your target countries.
Understand the regulations of the countries you are selling in
It is absolutely essential that you should fully understand all of the regulations surrounding packaging in the countries that you are looking to sell in. Remember that foreign packaging rules can be very stringent and complex, and the regulations will be provided in the native language.
It is important that you should not simply assume regulations will be the same other countries as they are in the UK or US; regulations can vary widely from country to country. Therefore, you will need to have packaging that satisfies the strictest of the regulations, even if it is not required in all of the countries you will be selling in.
It is advisable here to take advice either from a solicitor or a business experienced in foreign packaging to ensure that you are getting everything right. Don’t be tempted to use Google Translate on the regulations and assume you understand them.
Get creative to get multiple languages on packaging
One of the major problems with creating packaging that is going to be used in multiple countries is the language barrier. For many products it is essential to have instructions, ingredients, and other details written in the official language of the country where it will be sold before you even get to the challenge of ensuring that the branding looks right for multiple countries.
This means you may need to get creative and look into services that can add multi-sheet labels in a range of languages. Often, it is possible to squeeze far more information into a small space than you might imagine. So look into the range of possibilities, especially considering language on packaging is likely to fall under legal requirements.
It is best to work with packaging specialists with extensive experience carrying out this kind of work. The last thing you want to do is attempt to sell a product without knowing the relevant information.
This has been a guest post by Dakota Murphey.
Author Bio:
Dakota Murphey has a wealth of knowledge within the international shipping industry and enjoys incorporating her experiences of travel and marketing in her writing.
