Tetra Pak report focuses on the digitally connected consumer

TETRA PAK has released the 10^th edition of Tetra Pak Index, which contains insights on digital and online consumers and their behavior toward food and drink brands.

According to the report, brands in Asia are now operating in a challenging and complex environment where more than half of consumers are digitally connected. Asia Pacific is now home to more than half the world’s Internet users and 54% of the world’s social media users¹. To meet the needs of these well informed and empowered consumers, companies must modify their strategies.

In the past year, Asia Pacific accounted for 70% of total growth in global Internet users, 62% of the growth in social media users, and 64% of the growth in mobile social media users¹. These rapid growth rates are pushing brands in the region to pick up the pace of change and evolve their strategies in order to thrive, by initiating, joining and helping shape connected conversations.

The customer journey is also shifting from a relatively linear process to a complex network of multiple touch points. Consumers today search for product information before, during and after buying, referring to at least four information sources pre-purchase – many of which are beyond the control of brands. Greater connectivity and the proliferation of online platforms present a challenge for brands, as consumers expect a consistent experience and messaging across all the touchpoints where they interact especially on social media. The third-party, user-generated content is becoming ever more important with digital now accounting for 65% of media time for the average global consumer and independent customer reviews being the second most important marketing influence, according to the report. Specifically for this region, more than 1.5 billion people are now using social media on a monthly basis, with 95% accessing platforms via mobile devices – the highest ratio in the world¹. Product research and convenience are also other key factors that motivate Southeast Asian consumers to go online to shop².

“As Millennials and Generation Z come of age, it is essential for brands to rethink the strategies to woo the next set of power-spenders. Their attention spans are much shorter, having grown up in a digital age where smartphones and online shopping are the norm. Brands looking to engage with the Connected Consumers need to understand what drives them, and how to create a seamless brand experience that translates well both online and offline,” says Libby Costin, Vice President Marketing and Product Management, Tetra Pak South Asia, East Asia & Oceania.

Packaging has an important role to play in offering a gateway to greater consumer engagement. Tetra Pak explains that digital codes printed on packages can improve transparency of traceability, allowing consumers to access information about the product right down to the source. The package can also be transformed into a platform for two-way information flow where brands can capture specific, valuable data about their consumers as well as share more information about the product itself.

Ms Costin added, “Packaging design is an effective way to build brands through delivering a multi-sensory experience. Packaging has evolved into a key marketing tool that can be used to capitalize on connected consumers’ love for deeper brand engagements. At Tetra Pak, we are piloting the use of new digital technologies like augmented reality in our packaging to help brands attract and connect with this new generation of consumers."

1 Source: Hootsuite and WeAreSocial, Digital in 2017

2 Source: Nielsen, E-Commerce: Evolution or Revolution in the Fast-Moving Consumer Goods World?