Macfarlane Packaging Celebrate Growth In The South West | Valdamark Heat Sealers

On the back of customer demands & steady growth Macfarlane Packaging look to expand their short term storage solutions in the South West.

Following on from steady growth in the last few years, Macfarlane Packaging is expanding its capabilities in the South West of England.

Macfarlane Packaging are a well known distributor of both standard and bespoke, specialist packaging products. Their range is vast an includes the likes of heat sealers and consumables like Tip N Tell and Shockwatch Labels.

In addition they manufacture and source a huge range of customer specific items. They cater for a wide variety of projects, having seen increased demand for specialist products like FIBC bags and highly technical military packaging that conforms to vigorous standards like the US MIL PRF 131 K & UK DEF STAN 81-147 (formerly DEF STAN 81-75).

They currently have major warehouse expansions planned in both Plymouth & Avonmouth in Bristol. This combined with Mcfarlane’s commitment to maintain the presence of their central Patchway facility means their total business capacity has more or less doubled in size.

Macfarlane say this expansion will mean customers in local areas will be able to access a range that is second to non.

The Patchway facility is currently their biggest site by overall size and capacity. The huge warehouse here has even been offering customers the opportunity to store palletised goods in the short term, giving them piece of mind through the Brexit process.

The new expansion focuses on just the South West for now but more regional developments are planned into the future.

Phil Rees the Regional Director for Macfarlane Packaging said the expansion came as a direct result of their efforts to go further and deliver industry leading customer service.

They also want to focus of reducing their clients overall costs whilst maintaining quality and reliability.

Interestingly he also went on to comment that the demand for short term storage solutions had grown steadily over the last 2 – 3 years.

Food for thought as we near the 3 year anniversary of the Brexit referendum.

Macfarlane Packaging Survey

Macfarlane Packaging has just released its 2023 Unboxing Survey findings. This research highlights what today's consumers want in terms of eco-friendly packaging. The survey shows that 55% of consumers want retailers to use recycled materials in their packaging and make it easy to reuse or recycle. Surprisingly, 20% of people are willing to stop buying from retailers that don't meet these sustainability standards.

Macfarlane Packaging's Unboxing Survey is an in-depth study that looks at how people in the UK feel about unpacking their online purchases. More than 1,000 consumers gave feedback on their shopping experiences in various categories like fashion, electronics, food, home, and health & beauty.

Even with economic challenges like rising costs and inflation, which caused a dip in online sales in the first half of 2023, the Unboxing Survey brings some good news. It shows that online retailers have greatly improved their use of sustainable packaging.

One impressive statistic is that retailers have reduced excessive packaging by 66% since Macfarlane Packaging started this research eight years ago.

Key Findings

1. Sustainability: 55% of consumers think sustainable packaging is vital, and 81% say the packaging they get is easy to recycle. Surprisingly, 20% of consumers would stop buying from retailers if their packaging isn't sustainable.
2. Overpacking: Retailers have made great progress in reducing overpacking, with only 14% of consumers noticing too much packaging. This is a big 66% decrease since 2016.
3. Online Retail: More people are shopping online, with 66% admitting to spending more time shopping on the internet. Another 23% plan to shop online more in the future.
4.  Branding: The use of branding on packaging has gone up, from 39% in 2016 to 57% in 2023. This suggests that more retailers are recognizing the importance of branding in creating a distinctive and memorable customer experience through their packaging.
5. Damages: The Unboxing Survey revealed a positive trend in parcel damages, with only 6% of parcels arriving in damaged condition. This represents a substantial 40% reduction compared to 2016, indicating that retailers have improved their packaging and handling processes to ensure items reach customers in better condition.
6.  Delivery: A whopping 95% of consumers now prefer home delivery when shopping online, beating options like click-and-collect or lockers.This overwhelming choice demonstrates that home delivery has become the preferred and convenient method for the majority of online shoppers, surpassing alternatives like click-and-collect or lockers.

Comments

Laurel Granville, Macfarlane Packaging's Marketing Director, commented on these findings, saying, "We know that packaging is a crucial part of the online shopping experience. It's the first physical interaction and often influences brand choices. The 2023 survey shows that sustainability is the top concern for consumers. Retailers must keep adapting and innovating their packaging to meet customer expectations sustainably, and Macfarlane can help online retailers with our expertise."

This survey took place in July and August 2023 and included insights from 1,042 respondents. These findings give retailers essential information about what customers want, helping them make better choices about their packaging and improving the overall shopping experience.