If you look down the candy aisle, you see brands that have dominated the confectionary industry for decades. It probably doesn’t look much different than it did 10, 20, or even 30 years ago.

According to a study from Zippia, the five best-selling candy brands in the US are M&M’s, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Hershey Bar, Snickers, and Kit Kat.

• M&M’s were first sold exclusively to the military in 1941.
• Reese’s was introduced in 1923 and has been Hershey’s best-selling brand since 1969.
• Milton H. Hershey created the first Hershey Bar in 1900 in the city that bears his name.
• Snickers was invented in 1930 by the Mars family.
• People have been breaking off a piece of that Kit Kat bar since 1935.

The point here is that the candy aisle is loaded with brand equity. For that reason, the most popular names in candy continue to stay true to their roots from a branding standpoint. However, many are shifting to recyclable packaging formats as consumers demand that brands operate more responsibly.

Most traditional candy packaging can’t be recycled, from shiny paper wrappers to coated cardboard boxes. That’s unacceptable to a growing segment of the population. They would much rather toss packaging in the recycling bin than the trash can.

One emerging packaging format in the confectionary industry is the rigid, plastic container. CMG can create custom solutions with in-mold labeling, which enables iconic brands to update their packaging design with vibrant colors that are printed into the plastic. Packaging can be updated without straying from core branding elements that have been in place for generations.

In-mold labeling also allows us to personalize the design using digital printing. Unlike traditional methods, digital printing software uses data to automatically swap out images and text in a single print run. Remember when Coke used digital printing to put people’s names on their labels? That was the result of digital printing.

At the same time, plastic is more durable and more eco-friendly than traditional packaging. Containers can be resealed to keep contents fresh, reused to extend their useful life, and recycled to reduce environmental impact.

For heritage confectionary brands, rigid plastic is an opportunity to update packaging designs without abandoning hard-earned brand equity. For emerging, niche brands, this packaging could be an opportunity to grab the attention of consumers in an aisle dominated by well-established players.

We’re ready to help!

If you’d like to discuss how your confectionary brands can capitalize on rigid, plastic packaging to stand out in the aisle and win more sales, contact us today to schedule a consultation. We look forward to helping you and will get back to you promptly.