Packaging

The practice of packaging goods dates back to pre-industrial society, where packaging was commonly used for cereals, teas, and oils, although arguably the origins of packaging date back further than this. Around 300 BC, the Phoenicians invented the glass blowpipe, which was used to inflate glass into a hollow shape. The glass bottles that were produced using these blowpipes were some of the earliest forms of packaging and were critical to the containment of fluids, which otherwise obviously could not be transported or handled. Today, many different types of packaging exist, including paperboard cartons and boxes, metal cans, and plastic and glass bottles and jars, to name a few. Whatever type of packaging is used for a particular product, it must be effective in performing three key functions for the product and consumer: protection, containment, and identification. In some respects, protection and containment are the most basic functions of packaging, and those that originally made packaging necessary to handle and transport goods; however, today it is perhaps the identification and communication aspects of packaging that are of greatest importance to consumer culture.

The importance of packaging increased greatly during the nineteenth century, particularly in the United Kingdom and the United States, as goods began to be produced and sold on a larger scale, thus requiring packaging for protection during transportation. This importance increased toward the end of the nineteenth century, with the introduction of trademarks for the purposes of identifying goods, with packaging being used as a device to carry such identifying markings on goods. During the twentieth century, the importance of packaging increased further due to the growing importance of brands, trademarks, and advertising to consumers and their choices.

The use of packaging by consumers to identify different brands and products makes packaging a key tool for organizations, as it can be used to influence consumers' purchasing behaviors. Indeed, as far back as the 1950s, E. Ditcher identified the important effects packaging could have on consumers, describing it as a “silent salesman,” and in the modern supermarket retail environment in which consumers purchase so many goods, this ability of packaging to sell the product and gain consumers' attention is of great significance, as discussed in the following section. However, while packaging is of critical importance, it has received relatively little attention in the academic literature, and there is a need for research into this topic.