Packaging Industry in Hong Kong, China

COVID-19 impact on packaging

Home seclusion trends during the coronavirus pandemic have led to a rise in home cooking and at-home consumption, which has supported sales of multipack formats in food and beverages, including ice cream, drinking milk, yoghurt, edible oils and soft drinks – all of which are now more frequently purchased. Bulk packaging is also gaining traction, though to a lesser degree than multipack solutions due to a cultural high hygiene awareness which means that Hong Kong consumers are not inclined to store unlidded bulk packaging in the fridge.

COVID-19 country impact

While Hong Kong initially reacted well to COVID-19 and was one of the first places to relax lockdown restrictions to allow restaurant dining and hospitality to resume, new restrictions were implemented at the end of July in response to a rising tide of new cases. At the time of writing, Hong Kong is seeing more than 100 new cases each day, raising concerns of an overwhelming new surge.

Trend towards smaller pack sizes continues in food packaging in 2019

Smaller formats became more prevalent throughout food packaging in 2019, driven by a host of consumer lifestyle factors. In sauces, dressings and condiments packaging, for example, the average per-product volume size has decreased in line with rising living standards in Hong Kong as more consumers enjoy occasional cooking and regard it as a leisure activity.

Design trends drive development in drinks packaging in 2019

Players have been revamping the artwork displayed on their packaging in soft drinks during 2019, in a bid to attract new consumers through novelty value. In early 2019, for example, Swire Coca-Cola released tall cans in a Hong Kong heritage design as a special edition for its flagship Coca-Cola brand, decorated with images of various Hong Kong heritage sites such as the Blue House and Stanley Post Office.

Alternatives to glass gain ground in alcoholic drinks packaging in 2019

Glass bottles used to be the only option for cider/perry packaging. However, some big cider/perry brands have introduced metal beverage cans in Hong Kong, with cans viewed as a more convenient option for consumption than glass bottles.

Unique, functional and convenient formats offer differentiation in beauty and personal care packaging in 2019

Use of face masks boomed in Hong Kong during the review period, not just as products applied to the face overall but also to specific areas such as the eyes and jaws. The trend has, to a large extent, been due to the influx of mainland Chinese consumers, who are particularly fond of these items.

Development of concentrated formulations sees shifts to smaller sizes in home care packaging in 2019

Home care products moved towards more concentrated solutions and therefore also smaller packaging sizes in 2019. With the limited living space in Hong Kong, products with a smaller package size are often favoured over a larger product size, even if the cost per litre/kg can be more expensive than with the larger product.

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