VIRTUAL CPGs (Consumer Package Goods)

I just ran across an interesting article about a store that could revolutionize how consumer goods are packaged. http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-0504-peapod-20120504,0,6298160.story

Peapod has long been selling groceries over the Internet but has introduced a new wrinkle. In the Lake & State street station of Chicago’s subway they have placed a virtual grocery store. This consists of pictures on the wall of the various items available for sale. Scan the item with your cellphone, using a special free Peapod app, and it is placed in your shopping cart. When finished, check out and the items will be delivered to your home the next day.

One of the first things that struck me was the potential effect of this on packaging. One of the purposes of CPG packaging is to sell us so that we will pick the item from the shelf. In this virtual store, it is the image of the package that will sell us.

I can see a time, at some point in the future, where packaging will become much more generic. We will buy based on the image and the actual package that we use will be more utilitarian.

We are probably a long way from that time but I can see it coming eventually.

(On the other hand, my crystal ball has often been cloudy in the past. If it doesn’t work out like I say, don’t sue me.)