is the consumer ready to do without a gift box?


As the end-of-year celebrations approach, and as the period that is opening promises to be key for wine and spirits houses, the question of packaging and its usefulness deserves to be asked.

Luxury packaging must be eco-responsible.

Seemingly futile, the subject of packaging and gift boxes actually raises several points. First, that of the perception of brand image and some product quality by the consumer. The study conducted by Adelphe & Citeo in 2019 on luxury packaging is rich in lessons. For 8 out of 10 consumers, “ luxury packaging must
necessarily be different from the packaging of a non-luxury product, and reflect the dimension luxury of the product, as well as of the brand “. Thus, if the packaging is not among the very first criteria for the purchase of luxury products, it retains an important role since it remains a criterion of choice for 2 out of 3 consumers.
The study also sheds light on consumer expectations in terms of sustainable packaging. It shows that 77% of respondents could turn away from a luxury brand if they realized that its packaging is not environmentally friendly. A figure that reflects the environmental awareness that has taken place in recent years, and which has been accelerated by the COVID pandemic. In descending order, consumers expect packaging to be recyclable (62%), biodegradable (51%), reduced to a minimum (44%) or reusable (37%).

Desires that are increasingly taken into account by wine and spirits houses, which are working on eco-designed, recyclable or, even better, reusable packaging, like a box model from Maison Veuve Clicquot which available in a champagne bucket, or a second-skin paper case from Maison Ruinart.

Beyond the information and attraction marketing functions, the interest of the packaging is also to provide technical functions, such as the safety of the product and the maintenance of its organoleptic qualities, as explained by Elisa Monnot, teacher-researcher at CY Cergy Paris University. This is the case for certain bottles of champagne
transparent, which need to be protected from light by overwrapping, at the risk of seeing their taste altered.

In reality, it is the entire life cycle of the product that is targeted through the prism of packaging. Innovation takes place over a long period of time, which requires major investments from brands, and support for consumers to educate them to switch to new formats. The more innovative it is, the more the adaptation phase is to be taken into account by the brand.

Elisa Monnot

The ideal? Do without packaging.

While some houses have chosen to begin their transition through eco-designed boxes, others are going further by focusing their innovation efforts on the bottle. The A. De Fussigny cognac house recently unveiled a flax fiber and bio-sourced resin bottle for its organic cuvée called “2050”, which weighs 85 grams compared to 700 grams for a bottle of classic cognac. ” We are on a first production of 5000 bottles, and we do not impose any exclusivity on it so that it can be developed widely on the market. said Thomas Gonon, president of Maison A. de Fussigny. ” For us, this bottle is one of tomorrow’s high-end packaging solutions. On the consumer side, it is a material to be discovered by touch, which shakes up the traditional codes of the bottle and transforms the tasting experience. “.
In Champagne, Maison Telmont has abandoned the non-recycled transparent bottle for a classic Champagne green bottle, made from 85% recycled glass. A choice that is part of the brand’s ambitious project in terms of CSR, and which is accompanied by a pure and simple abolition of gift boxes. ” At Telmont, we make champagne, not boxes. Since our bottle guarantees a high level of quality for our wine, why add superfluous over-packaging which would increase its carbon footprint by 8%? says Ludovic du Plessis, CEO of Maison Telmont. A pioneer on the issue of the environment, the House tends to prove that audacity pays off over time, by winning the support of consumers. The man who was counting on a 50% drop in his turnover due to the abolition of gift boxes was pleasantly surprised to see his choice acclaimed in all his markets, whether in France, the United States or again in Japan, a country where packaging is an integral part of the culture. ” With 18 months of hindsight, the bet has clearly paid off. Telmont is the proof that the consumer is ready to change his mode of consumption, as soon as the quality is at the rendezvous. I would even say that it is the role of luxury to give the LA to the sector “.

telmont champagne
©Telmont

While the Adelphe & Citeo study confirms the manager’s position, according to which it is up to luxury players to take initiatives in favor of respect for the environment, it is clear that, in the field, there is still often a discrepancy between the virtuous intentions of consumer declarations and the reality of their behavior. To fight against this “green gap”, Elisa Monnot is in favor of the intervention of the regulator in order to impose a “positive selection” which obliges to remove non-responsible alternatives. In the meantime, the houses are each progressing at their own pace, and are still hesitating to remove boxes which, according to them, remain essential for the holidays. “ There is still a long way to go, but I am convinced that initiatives like those of Telmont are paving the way. concludes Ludovic du Plessis.


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