Scent embedded packaging is a unique type of packaging that you can use in order to create a multi-sensory experience for your products. Scents have an  effect on people, and a lot of times, people like to hold onto the packaging and sniff it to experience the scents that are there. 

Having scent-based packaging is great for body care items, even food and such.  it’s a market that’s grown by over 15% in the previous 15 years, and it’s definitely something that people like to enjoy. With so many innovative ways, there definitely is a market offering this, and it taps into the psychology of what customers want to buy. 

What’s in Scented Packaging 

Now, scented packaging requires well, scents that you can add to the packaging.

Microencapsulation, where little capsules are placed in the container, is one way to do this.

There are also scent coatings, which actually will coat the entirety of the item with the scent, like a lamination and the like.

There’s also embedded fragrance materials that will release scents when you interact with it. An example of this is scratch and sniff stickers, where once you scratch it, it releases the scent that you can sniff.

The Benefits and Challenges with This 

There’s a few benefits that come with this. First it taps into the psychology of the packaging. When you create an experience that interacts with the psyche directly, customers will remember it. it’s why they’ll remember good experiences with products, and not so much the bad ones.

It markedly enhances the unboxing experiences too. People like it when they get an extra little piece of sensory interaction that they get with their items.

However, there are some problems that come with this.   fragrance stability and ensuring that they don’t break down is one of them. allergen concerns are another one, because some scents will definitely create an allergic reaction.

The final problem is the customer’s reaction to scents. Some people are sensitive to scents, and in turn, it might turn them off if it’s too pungent. You want to make it subtle, but also memorable as well. 

Examples of This 

There’s a few types of examples of this that come along. 

One of the most prevalent is detergents, which use a scratch and sniff through different fragrance pearls embedded there. a customer can smell it without needing to even open up the packaging.

Some of them even come with a squeezable detachable cap, where you can smell the fragrance through the opening of this.   There’s also freshness technology that encapsulates the aroma in bubbles, so only when it’s touched does it release.   The cool thing about this is you  can embed it completely, for great long-term results. 

Another example of this is printing technology for these coatings. Follmann is one example where they used a perfume packaging that’s 1:1 on this varnish as soon as it’s touched. Through additional sleeves, the Folco-scent will be encapsulated and then put into small spheres that are microscopic in size.   When a customer interacts with this, it then causes the capsules to emit the scent, and then retain that scent for up to 12 or so months. 

Nike also used this as well. They added fragrances to the apple, and even increased the sales by up to 80%.  

Some gas stations used the smell of coffee beans, and it caused a 300% increase in coffee product sales.

Scents work, and they interact with us in unique ways. As a packaging provider, it might be worthwhile to consider this type of unique packaging experience for your products.