Packaging Design: How Packaging Sells Your Product

Short answer: Packaging design is the creation of the label, box, bottle or bag that carries your product, so that it stands out on the shelf, explains what it is in three seconds and persuades the shopper to pick it up. Poua Design designs packaging for food, drink and local products in Athens and across Greece, from the idea to the printer.

Why packaging is your most important salesperson

On a shop shelf or an e-shop page, your product competes with dozens of others at the same time. Nobody reads. Shoppers scan, and stop at whatever catches their attention and “speaks” to them. Packaging is the only advertising that is 100% there at the moment of the buying decision. Good packaging increases sales without changing anything about the product, and justifies a higher price.

What packaging design at Poua Design includes

Shelf and competitor research

Before designing, we look at where the product will be sold: supermarket, delicatessen, tourist shop, e-shop, export. Each channel has different rules: different lighting, viewing distance, decision time. We record what competitors are doing so yours stands out rather than getting lost.

Concept and information hierarchy

We decide what the shopper sees first (the brand? the category? the feature that sets you apart?) and build the visuals around it. At Tyrakeion, the hierarchy was: tradition since 1950, Kea, handmade. The black-and-white illustrations of production and the bold yellow typography gave packaging that is traditional and contemporary at once.

Structural design and materials

We choose the packaging type (label, box, sleeve, bag, bottle) and the materials: board, kraft, glass, plastic, metal. We take into account production cost, durability, transport, refrigeration conditions and environmental footprint. We prepare the die-line together with the manufacturer.

Label and legal information

For food and drink, the label must include specific details: name, ingredients, allergens, net weight, nutrition declaration, producer details, batch, date, barcode. We design so everything is correctly placed and legible without spoiling the artwork. For export, we provide multilingual versions.

Product range

If you have more than one product, we design a system: a shared structure that makes the range recognisable, with colour or illustration differentiating each flavour or type. That way every new product slots in without starting from scratch.

Production and printing

We prepare final files with the right colours (CMYK, Pantone, special colours), bleed, positions for varnish, foil stamping or embossing. We follow proofs and the first print run, so what comes out of the printer is what you approved.

Packaging and branding: why they go together

Packaging is the most frequent contact a customer has with your brand. If the logo, colours and typography of the packaging don’t agree with the shop sign, the website and Instagram, the brand looks inconsistent. That’s why at Poua Design we design packaging as part of the corporate identity, even when the project starts with just a label.

Which products we design packaging for

Cheese and dairy, honey, olive oil, wine and spirits, sweets and baked goods, cosmetics and wellness products, handmade and local products, gifts and limited editions. We have experience with small runs on digital printing as well as large offset and flexographic productions.

Frequently asked questions

How much does packaging design cost?

It depends on the type (label, box, product range), the number of SKUs and whether illustration or photography is needed. After a briefing we send a detailed quote.

Do you also handle printing of the packaging?

Yes. We supervise production with printers and packaging manufacturers, from proofs to delivery.

Do I need a barcode? Where do I get one?

For sale in shops, yes. The barcode (EAN) is issued by GS1 (in Greece, GS1 Greece). We build it into the design at the right size and position so it scans properly.

Can you design packaging for export?

Yes. We design multilingual labels and adapt the visuals to the requirements of the target market.

How long does a packaging project take?

A label project usually takes 3–5 weeks. A full range with structural design and production can take 2–3 months.

Let’s design your product’s packaging

Send us what product you have, where it will be sold and in what quantities. We’ll reply with questions, ideas and a first estimate. Contact Poua Design or see all our services.