Question

Five Mark Questions:-
What is Packaging? State any four functions of Packaging.

Answer 1

Packaging plays a very important role in the marketing success or failure of many products, particularly the

consumer non-durable products. In fact if one makes an analysis of the reasons for the success of some of the successful products in the recent past, it can be noted that packaging has played its due role. For example, it was one of the important factors in the success of products like Maggie’s Noodles, Uncle Chips or Crax wafers.

Some of the important functions are as follows: (i) Product Identification: Packaging greatly helps in identification of the products. For example, Colgate in red colour, or Ponds cream jar can be easily identified by its package.

(ii) Product Protection: Packaging protects the contents of a product rom spoilage, breakage, leakage, pilferage, damage, climatic effect, etc. This kind of protection is required during storing, distribution and transportation of the product.

(iii) Facilitating Use of the Product: The size and shape of the package should be such that it should be convenient to open, handle and use for the consumers. Cosmetics, medicines and tubes of toothpastes are good examples of this.

(iv) Product Promotion: Packaging is also used for promotion purposes. A startling colour scheme, photograph or typeface may be used to attract attention of the people at the point of purchase. Sometimes it may work even better than advertising. In self-service stores, this role of packaging becomes all the more important.