By Maureen Dollard, Principal at Complete Acuity Inc.
Key takeaways:
- Packaging transitions are increasingly complex and high-risk due to evolving consumer demands, regulatory changes (like MAHA and FDA mandates), and market pressures, making timely and accurate updates essential to avoid costly recalls and lost sales.
- Outsourcing packaging transition management to specialized experts is a growing trend that helps reduce internal strain, prevent errors, and streamline the process—especially for small teams or large brands managing multiple product lines.
- Common pitfalls such as incomplete scope, incorrect dielines, and outdated certifications can derail transitions; successful updates require detailed planning, dedicated resources, and rigorous quality control protocols.
Never has there been a more critical time for marketers and brand managers to get ahead of packaging transitions for their products. The food world today is in a constant state of flux requiring brands to be agile and adaptive to survive, let alone thrive.
CPG products change in response to consumer trends, regulations, and economic conditions. This always requires packaging updates, the most tedious and least desirable task for a manager. Getting the packaging done correctly and on time is a critical part of protecting sales, maintaining growth, and avoiding costly errors such as a product recall due to mislabeling. Updates can double the workload putting considerable strain on the marketing, supply chain, and procurement teams, distracting them from their core responsibilities.
Make America Healthy Again (MAHA), is fueling regulatory changes. New guidelines are expected to bring much scrutiny to additives that have been permitted for decades. In Texas CPG foods will have to adhere to the more stringent additive regulations in the EU, UK, Canada, and Australia or add a warning label: “not fit for human consumption.” Beyond MAHA, trade wars, foodflation, and the looming 2026 FDA food additive regulation deadline, packaging alone has marketers reeling to keep on top of the task.
An emerging trend is to outsource packaging transition management to alleviate pressure on teams and reduce the risk of errors and missed deadlines. Bringing in an expert artwork project lead from a specialized packaging transition firm is quickly becoming a necessity. Packaging transition experts-for-hire help guide and manage the process for smaller brands with fewer internal resources and less experience. When it comes to the CPG mega-brands, where there can be dozens of product lines and errors can be catastrophic, a third-party expert can help potentially deliver considerable savings by delivering a smooth, accurate, and timely package transition.
Packaging transition experts: the difference between making or breaking the update
Packaging has to be updated for a myriad of reasons, so how do global brands like Lipton successfully execute large-scale packaging updates? For its recent new visual identity project, Lipton simply outsourced the job. An external artwork project lead was brought in to navigate the complexities of updating packaging across multiple departments, supply chains, external agencies, and retail partners, while minimizing costly errors and sparing brand managers from an exhausting and resource-intensive process.
Conversely, a packaging transition gone wrong is high risk and can be devastating for those products who’ve unfortunately had to pay the price. Mislabeling a product, a simple spelling or regulatory error, can see it removed from shelves, leaving empty space for weeks and shrinking sales margins. A recent example is the recall of Ritz Cracker Sandwiches due to mislabeling which posed a risk to consumers with peanut allergies. Specifically, some cartons were labeled as containing “milk chocolate” when they contained a peanut butter filling, a potentially life-threatening error. This led to a full recall of the affected products, causing a significant gap on store shelves and impacting the brand’s reputation and sales. Mistakes can happen at any step of the process.
The most common packaging transition errors and how to avoid them
It’s a precarious time for CPG products; here are some tips guaranteed to help make the packaging transition a smooth one for businesses large or small:
Incomplete scope of work: Achieving success in packaging updates hinges on meticulous attention to detail. Develop a comprehensive list of all required changes, ensuring no component is overlooked. Conduct a thorough inventory of every element impacted by the update, including primary and secondary packaging, displays, digital assets, and ancillary components. This exhaustive approach minimizes the risk of omissions and streamlines the implementation process.
Repetitive packaging updates: Identify opportunities to enhance efficiency by consolidating multiple updates into a single process. Evaluate whether simultaneous revisions can be executed to reduce labor, material costs, and time investment. Streamlining repetitive tasks not only optimizes resource utilization but also minimizes disruptions to the supply chain.
Not verifying dielines: Always verify the accuracy and relevance of dielines for each update, especially when working with printers and production teams. Consistent verification safeguards against costly errors and ensures consistent quality standards.
Lack of dedicated resources: Packaging updates are inherently complex, detail-oriented, and time-consuming. During substantial transitions, allocating a dedicated team or individual is essential to oversee each phase. This focused oversight ensures accountability, maintains quality control, and accelerates the project timeline, ultimately reducing the risk of errors and delays.
Outdated certifications: Regularly review all certification logos, legal agreements, and compliance markings to confirm they are current. Staying proactive in certification management ensures ongoing compliance and marketplace readiness.
Adhering to these rigorous protocols fosters a smooth, efficient transition of newly packaged products onto shelves, minimizing operational delays and maintaining brand integrity. Given the complexity and precision required, organizations should consider engaging packaging transition specialists. Outsourcing an artwork project lead ensures that a dedicated, expert resource manages the process, allowing internal teams to remain focused on the business, and reduces the risk of errors, for a seamless updated package launch.
Maureen Dollard, founder of Complete Acuity, packaging transition specialists, is a former brand manager who led countless packaging transitions for multi-million-dollar brands over the past two decades. Witnessing first-hand the strain packaging transitions put on maxed-out internal and external cross-functional teams, she recognized the opportunity to offer artwork management expertise to save brands valuable time and money by ensuring a smooth transition.
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