Product design: Functions of Packaging

Protection: Packaging is there to protect products from damage while its being transported from designer to consumer as well as making sure it cannot be tampered with.

Informing: Packaging is there to inform the consumer what it is they are buying and how to use it. It also has to have certain info by law for example food products need a list of the ingredients in them.

Containing: Some products contain many small pieces so packaging is needed to make sure all of these pieces are secure and do not get lost. For example cereal is packaged using a plastic air sealed bag to contain the product however it’s hard to print on plastic so a card box is used to display info with it.

Transportation: Designers need to take into account how their products can be transported. For example if you were to transport 100 footballs you would have them all deflated and boxed up as its more efficient and easier to move around than 100 fully inflated footballs that take up lots of room.

Preservation: many products, mostly food, need to be protected from deterioration. Food can be packaged using different methods to stop bacteria and other microbes from accessing it. For example lots of foods are air sealed so microbes can’t get in.

Display: Packaging has to be attractive to look at to visually appeal to the consumer. It also needs to be distinctive to be easily recognisable. 

These 6 things can be remembered using I PICT PD (I Picked Product Design)

Protection

Informing 

Containing

Transportation

Preservation

Display

REMEMBER THEM!