This brand printed prices on the packaging — and the REASON WHY will blow your mind: This wasn’t really about price. It was about CERTAINTY. Here’s the context… Penny is a German discount supermarket, and its customers are exhausted by inflation and constantly changing prices. Penny wanted to stand out — not just on price, but on reliability. Its ad agency Serviceplan proposed an idea: If you print prices on the product, it tells people: “This is permanent.” After all, it’s not easy to change the packaging! The brand loved it, and rolled out “Price Packs” — with pricing printed on oatmeal, toast, salt, and other essentials. The result? Sell-outs, social buzz, and a wave of goodwill from customers. Remember: Consumers don’t just buy products — they buy TRUST. So how can you sell THAT? If this post was helpful, please share it and follow Jason Feifer for more. 🍏🥤 ARE YOU A CPG FOUNDER? I'm working on something to help you grow — get in touch here: https://lnkd.in/eCE-KqpW
Also risky when commodity input prices to make these products go up. Then you have price increases, new packaging, exiting old packaging inventory, and margin compression in the short term
How cool - I think Snapple did this for a while (or maybe AriZona?) and printed price on pack. Wasn't quite as attention-grabbing, though, but certainly served the same purpose
So simple yet no one could think of it! Genius move.
Shows that pricing is indeed a part of marketing, and that marketers should have a seat at the table when it comes to pricing
Printing prices wasn’t just about cost ... it was a promise of stability in uncertain times. 🙌
Very good reasoning, and with the idea that you won't find a different price depending on location or sales periods. One issue: This wouldn't be great to bring out around guests or take to a picnic, party, event, or if giving a food / drinks to someone. That's the trade-off, I guess. (PS if anyone wants to see the design-focused ethos tactics that made Trader Joe's what it is, Google that as well. TJ's is great, but not always that artisanal and healthy, e.g. Breyer's ice-cream is 15g of sugar per cup. TJ's is 45g or something ridiculous. So much so, I gagged from the sugar. That handwritten, swirly, homegrown design makes you think it's nothing but healthier for you.)
I remember when bags of chips used to say 99cents on them. As a young kid I used to think "if they every want to change the price they would have to change the bag (package)". Every store back then carried the 99cent bags because they would sell like crazy. Now those same bag of chips are like $2.59
What a brilliant move by Penny! Printing prices directly on the packaging is such a simple yet powerful way to build trust and demonstrate stability during uncertain times. It’s a reminder that innovation doesn’t always require high-tech solutions—sometimes, it’s about understanding consumer psychology and addressing their core concerns. I’m curious, Jason—do you think this strategy would work as effectively in markets where inflation isn’t as prominent, or is it uniquely suited to the current economic climate in Germany?
This is marketing brilliance! Trust is the ultimate product, how can you deliver it? That’s where real growth happens.
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5dAre those products from 1995? Where can you get mayo for $1.79, or any of those products for those prices? 😂