Spooky season is almost upon us. And while ghosts and ghouls may be scary, there’s nothing more terrifying for marketers than packaging mistakes.
Packaging errors impact every industry. But regulated sectors like consumer goods and pharma face the biggest consequences.
The Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) recalls 400 products every year, with the average recall costing around $10m.
Unnecessary costs aside, 68% of consumers believe that product packaging is a reflection of the brand’s values.
That means one slip-up can damage your brand credibility as well as your bottom line. But what are the most common mistakes?
I asked five business owners to tell us their packaging horror stories and the lessons they learned.
Turn on your nightlight. Things are about to get scary. 😨
1. When discount bulk printing goes wrong
Bulk printing discounts are extremely tempting, particularly for small businesses. But, as our first story shows, a typo in the packaging design can be a costly mistake.
Cafely’s packaging horror story
Mimi is the founder of Cafely, an artisanal Vietnamese coffee brand. She shared her packaging nightmare with me and some great tips to avoid the same fate.
Mimi and her team were finalizing the CPG packaging design for their coffee products. She was excited to see the final product, so she gave the green light to print the samples first.
“I still remember the joy I felt when I finally had the samples in my hands. It was the fruit of weeks of sleep deprivation.”
The packaging review was complete. Or so they thought. The team went over the design thirteen (!) times, making revisions to ensure everything was perfect.
Unfortunately, when the team got the samples for their 3-in-1 instant milk coffee, they noticed a typo in the number of shots. It said 3x shots when it should have said 2x shots.
If it had been a misspelling, I may have been able to use those. But the typo error would have led to a false advertisement. No honest company would do that.
Mimi from Cafely
It gets worse.
This wasn’t just one sample. Mimi had ordered 1000 of each to print because the company offered a huge discount for that volume.
“As a small business, the discount was too good to pass on. We now know that our review process needs to be even more thorough when taking advantage of bulk printing discounts.”
How does this horror story end? Mimi had to discard 1000 coffee packages.
“To this day, I console myself by thinking that the loss was not that huge if you take the discount into consideration. Although I know that a loss is still a loss.”
The fast way to get feedback on packaging
Get clear and collaborative comments right on top of your packaging artwork.
The Lessons
Mimi’s packaging mistake has taught her some valuable lessons. Here’s her advice for other marketers in the consumer goods industry.
Create a structured workflow
- Build an effective creative review process
- Establish and incorporate multiple layers of review into the packaging design process
- Engage multiple stakeholders to review designs from fresh eyes (and perspectives)
- Make a checklist of common errors so you know which elements to pay more attention to in every review round
Try to reduce the negative impact
- Look for ways to salvage, repurpose, or recycle packaging with a typo to avoid wasting it
- If you’ve already distributed packaging with a typo, focus on damage control by communicating with customers right away
- Offer a special discount to show you value your customers’ business
- Immediately stop production to avoid further losses
- Try to negotiate a reprint discount or refund (if a third-party supplier was responsible for the error)
Source: Cafely
2. When size does matter …
Even the most beautiful, on-brand packaging design in the world won’t matter if it doesn’t fit on store shelves (or your customers’).
Our next story is a reminder to think twice about the size of your packaging solutions.
Kenko Tea’s horror story
Sam Speller is the Founder and CEO of Kenko Tea, an e-commerce company that sells specialty Japanese matcha green tea.
He shared the most expensive design mistake his brand made in its early days. It turns out, size does matter. At least when it comes to tea tins.
The brand originally packaged its matcha powder in beautiful (but big) tins. The box design was gorgeous and perfectly embodied the high quality of the product. But the size soon became an issue.
Once the new tins reached our customers, we started getting a lot of feedback about how big the tins were. Our returns department had to add an extra box to their work tracking sheet. Why? Because our customers had to send our products back.
Sam Speller – Kenko Tea
Customer feedback revealed that the tins were simply too big for the brand’s customers to store on their shelves.
“One customer had the impression that our tin was a ‘matcha monument’. Grand and impressive, but ultimately not very convenient.”
The Lessons
Sam learned a lot from Kenko Tea’s packaging mistake. Here’s his advice for other brands.
Prioritize market research
- Hold focus groups and review customer ratings to get feedback on your product packaging
- Always prioritize function over aesthetics
Kenko Tea solved the issue by creating a more streamlined, resealable pouch with a reduced footprint.
Not only did the new look and feel retain that premium aesthetic, it became easier to store and transport – a win-win.
“Sales data since the swap show a stark reduction in returns (particularly due to packaging issues) and a boost in customer satisfaction.”
Source: Kenko Tea
3. When cultural insensitivities can threaten your brand’s reputation
All global companies feel the pressure when it comes to packaging design. But those in regulated industries like health and wellness face the strictest scrutiny.
Our next story is a reminder to research the cultural nuances of your package design.
Balance One’s horror story
James Wilkinson is the CEO and co-founder of Balance One Supplements, a global e-commerce store that specializes in premium dietary supplements.
He shared what can go wrong when brands overlook the cultural nuances of packaging materials.
“Cultural insensitivity in product packaging can threaten brand reputation as much as push away prospective customers. Even the simplest of cultural symbols and colors can have very different meanings across borders.”
As James points out, a color could signify good fortune in one culture and be linked to a funeral in another.
“Something that appears entirely inoffensive on your packaging could, without your realizing it, offend potential customers. Lost sales, bad online reviews, and a tarnished brand name will follow.”
The Lessons
James shares how Balance One overcomes cultural-based packaging issues.
Implement a strict cross-cultural review process
- Have packaging designs approved by a number of international market consultants (as well as the design team)
- Check and recheck symbols, colors, and imagery to maximize positive associations cross-culturally
Run focus groups
- Conduct focus groups in different regions to get feedback on and identify potential cultural sensitivities
Source: Balance One
4. When text-heavy labels confuse your target audience
More than 60% of FDA recalls are due to labeling errors. Inaccurate information about the ingredients, allergens, or safety warnings can lead to compliance breaches and fines.
But a mistake isn’t the only issue. This next story shows how unclear labels can leave customers scratching their heads.
The Candida Diet’s horror story
Lisa Richards is the CEO and Creator of the Candida Diet, an online company specializing in helping individuals beat their candida overgrowth and restore their health.
Lisa soon realized that the initial packaging for the brand’s anti-candida supplements lacked clarity.
The labels were very text-heavy, filled with complicated explainers about the ingredients and their benefits. This meant that at a glance the packaging was overwhelming for our customers.
Lisa Richards from The Candida Diet
According to Lisa, another one of the most common packaging mistakes is focusing too much on aesthetics and not enough on function.
“When we first introduced our supplement, it came with a resealable pouch that looked fancy but proved to be a bit tricky to open and close for some of our customers. Upon receiving some feedback about the packaging, we switched the container to a better quality one.”
Changing to a sturdier box with a wider lid has enhanced the customer experience and minimized frustration.
The Lessons
I asked Lisa what advice she’d give to other brands in the supplement industry. This is what she recommended.
Focus on clarity and function
- Remove any friction by using clear graphics and minimal text
- Communicate in zero-jargon wording
- Emphasize the key benefits of your product and remove anything else
Listen to consumer feedback
- Gather feedback to understand where user experience issues lie
- Invest in high-quality packaging that enhances the customer’s experience
The fast way to get feedback on packaging
Get clear and collaborative comments right on top of your packaging artwork.
5. When you don’t ISTA certify your product packaging
What happens when your customers start complaining about products arriving damaged? It’s not always a design flaw or an issue with your packaging materials.
As our final story shows, sometimes you just need to test it in real-world shipping conditions.
Hennessey Digital’s horror story
Jason Hennessey is the Founder and CEO of Hennessey Digital, an SEO and Digital Marketing Agency.
He leads a team of 100+ digital marketing experts. The team is heavily involved with packaging design for some of their clients’ branding efforts.
Jason’s story is about a client in the consumer electronics industry.
We had a client in the electronics industry who received many complaints about damaged products during shipping. Despite having a solid packaging design, products were still arriving broken.
Jason Hennessey from Hennessey Digital
The client took immediate action. They teamed up with a packaging engineer to redesign their box and put it through International Safe Transit Association (ISTA) testing.
ISTA testing simulates real-world shipping conditions to make sure the packaging can handle the journey.
“After getting certified, the number of damaged shipments significantly dropped, and they could hold the shipping company accountable for any future issues using the ISTA reports.”
Jason also warns about the risks of poor-quality barcodes or incorrect placement.
“If a barcode doesn’t scan, it can lead to lost sales, supply chain disruptions, and potential regulatory non-compliance.”
He recommends using the Barcode Analysis Tool from ManageArtworks. This tool will help you check and verify the quality of 1D, 2D, and 3D barcodes.
The Lessons
Here are Jason’s two biggest tips for creating packaging that’s durable and functional.
Test the durability of your packaging solutions
- Put your packaging through ISTA testing (especially if the products inside are fragile)
- Use bubble wrap or other sustainable packaging materials to protect products during shipping
Run quality checks on package barcodes
- Check barcodes meet quality standards by using an analysis tool
- Be mindful of barcode placement to avoid scanning issues
Honorable mention – When regulations change …
We’ve seen the most common packaging mistakes, but it’s not always an error or bad design that leads to disaster. In some cases, it’s an unexpected regulatory change.
Marko Grensemann is the Director of Antioxi, a leading medicinal mushroom company. He shared a significant setback his company encountered with its first-ever packaging order.
“As a bootstrapped company trying to make every penny count, we faced a dramatic challenge with our first-ever packaging order. Due to a sudden regulatory change from the government, 9,900 out of 10,000 units went to waste.”
Marko Grensemann from Antioxi
A change to Regulation (EU) 2019/626 limited the importation of one ingredient to a select few countries, including Switzerland, Canada, and South Korea.
Despite being out of his hands, Marko has taken some big learnings away from the experience.
“It highlights the importance of staying agile and prepared for unexpected regulatory shifts. We now follow the lean method so we can react to changes fast.” 
Source: Antioxi
✨ Bonus read: Stay up-to-date on the latest packaging design trends.
Streamline packaging processes with Filestage
These common packaging mistakes are a stark reminder of how much your brand has to juggle during the design and distribution process.
They also highlight how crucial it is to have a structured review and approval workflow. Setting up multiple layers of reviews from key stakeholders will help you get your packaging solutions to market without the stress of costly reprints, recalls, or compliance issues.
And you can streamline this workflow with online proofing software like Filestage.
Click here for more information on how Filestage can help you with your packaging processes.
