Futurist's Column: Holistic Design is No Longer Optional
Driven by a growing population of consumers with disabilities and a general demand for user-friendly products, packaging accessibility and ease-of-use will soon be essential for CPGs' competitive survival.
Carmine's pasta sauces each feature a Consumer Convenience Technology (CCT) EEASY lid.
By 2035, holistic packaging design is the industry standard. Companies that haven’t embraced user-friendly, accessible, and sustainable packaging are struggling to compete. Why? Because consumers demand it. Today, over 60 million Americans live with arthritis, and that number is expected to grow. These individuals, along with a broader group of consumers with disabilities, control over $64 billion in spending power, a figure projected to double in the next decade.
Beyond disabilities, the general population has made one thing clear: frustration with packaging leads to brand abandonment. 83% of consumers with arthritis and 62% of general consumers experience frustration with packages, leading many to switch brands entirely. One study showed more than half of arthritis consumers and over a third of general consumers avoid repurchasing products due to packaging challenges. Packaging that isn’t intuitive or easy to use is now seen as an oversight—one that directly impacts market share.
A Look Back: The Evolution of Holistic Packaging
Industry leaders have been sounding the alarm for years. As early as 2011, discussions on holistic design emerged, emphasizing the need for packaging that considers not just aesthetics but also ease of use and accessibility. By 2023, long-term packaging trends pointed to the importance of planning for holistic design from the outset rather than making last-minute adjustments.
We've been talking about the importance of ease-of-use and inclusive design for years. What we’re seeing now is a shift—companies can no longer afford to ignore it.
Despite these conversations, many brands continued to treat packaging design as an afterthought. Late-stage adjustments, particularly in response to consumer complaints, proved costly and inefficient. The industry needed a proactive, strategic approach. Holistic means interconnected, whole, or full picture. To be successful and inclusive, packaging design can’t be done independently. Brian Wagner, co-founder, PTIS
The Present: A Shift Towards Inclusion and Accessibility
Fast forward to today, and companies are finally making significant strides. Target, in collaboration with The Arthritis Foundation, has developed comprehensive Ease of Use Design Guides aimed at making packaging more accessible. The Arthritis Foundation Ease of Use program inspires accessible design, offering critical resources for engineers and designers in the requirements definition and design development stage. These guidelines provide engineers with actionable insights to create packaging that is both functional and easy to use.
Stephanie Hsin, PTIS senior associate, MS Packaging Human Factors, Michigan State University,highlights an ongoing challenge:
“Functionality is complex,” she says. “A design might look good on paper, but if users don’t immediately understand how to use it, it fails. Ease of use has to be intuitive.”
Deb Gokie of the Arthritis Foundation, and lead on the Ease of Use Design Guides, reinforces the need for early integration:
“Companies often say they prioritize sustainability and innovation, but they recognize the gap when it comes to ease of use,” she says. “Addressing this early in the design process is crucial. Investing in the design of easier-to-use products and packages is extremely important in meeting both today’s consumer needs and tomorrow’s consumer needs.”
The impact of these guidelines is already being felt across industries, with brands recognizing that usability isn’t just an ethical consideration—it’s a financial one. Redesigning packaging post-launch is expensive, while small adjustments at the design stage can make a significant difference.
The Role of Technology in Future Packaging Design
Advancements in AI and machine learning will continue to shape the packaging industry. Experts predict that within the next five years, AI could help standardize ease-of-use design across industries, ensuring consistency and improving user experience.
Gokie predicts a future where 3D human modeling plays a key role:
“Simulating real-world dexterity and movement before finalizing designs will be a game-changer. It will allow us to create packaging that works for everyone—without costly revisions,” she says.
Adds Hsin: “As production methods advance, incorporating unique opening and closing mechanisms will become more affordable. This will eliminate cost as a barrier to better design.”
The Bottom Line: Packaging Design Must Be Intentional
The days of treating packaging as a secondary concern are over. Moving forward, brands must integrate usability, accessibility, and sustainability into the design process from the very beginning.
Brands that proactively consider usability from the start—bringing together marketing, finance, and production teams—will lead the market. Those that don’t will struggle to keep up.
Consumers have spoken, and the numbers back it up. Holistic packaging design isn’t just a trend—it’s the future. Brands that fail to adapt will find themselves left on the shelf. Brand owners shouldn’t wait to integrate the new Design Guides in their organization’s design standards.
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Brian Wagner, co-founder, PTIS
