Navigating the Shifting Landscape of CPG: What’s Shaping the Next Generation of Packaging, Product, and Consumer Expectations

The consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry is in a period of transformation, driven not by a single trend, but by the convergence of generational shifts, regulatory changes, global uncertainty, and evolving consumer values. For CPG brands, these forces are rewriting the rules of product development, branding, and packaging at a pace that demands not only attention, but action.

From the influence of Gen Z on brand loyalty to new food color regulations, from fluctuating sales impacted by tariffs to rising calls for sustainability and transparency, companies are being challenged to rethink how they deliver value, both on the shelf and in the hearts of their customers.

Gen Z Redefines Loyalty and Influence

Gen Z’s impact on the grocery and CPG space can’t be overstated. Born into a world of digital fluency and heightened social consciousness, they don’t just buy products - they buy stories, values, and experiences. According to Grocery Dive, nearly half of Gen Z consumers consider social media influencers a major factor in choosing where to shop, and 65% say they are loyal to brands that align with their personal values.

But “loyalty” in this new era doesn’t mean sticking with the same brand forever. Instead, it’s fluid, responsive to value alignment, and constantly shaped by new inputs, online and off. This generation expects brands to demonstrate purpose, authenticity, and innovation - not just say they do.

This expectation extends to the packaging as well. Labels are scanned for ingredient lists, sustainability certifications, and messaging that reflects ethical commitments. And if a product’s packaging falls short of those values, the shelf life of that brand in a consumer’s cart can be measured in seconds.

The New Palette: Natural Food Colorants and Regulatory Shifts

Simultaneously, the regulatory landscape is becoming increasingly complex. The FDA recently approved the use of new food dyes made from minerals, algae, and flower petals, part of a growing move toward natural alternatives in response to consumer demand and scientific concern about synthetic additives. This move signals an important shift: the U.S. is now catching up with Europe in banning or limiting some artificial colorants that were once commonplace in CPG products.

For product and packaging teams, this isn’t just a reformulation issue, it’s a labeling challenge. Transparency is no longer optional. As new colorants and ingredients become available (and old ones get phased out), packaging needs to reflect these changes accurately and quickly, often across multiple SKUs and markets.

Sales Growth Amid Tariff Jitters

While March 2024 saw moderate sales growth in the candy and snack categories, underlying concerns remain. The National Confectioners Association noted that tariffs continue to weigh on producer confidence and input costs, even as retailers push for competitive pricing. This dynamic creates a pinch point for CPG brands: reduce margins or risk shelf displacement.

And tariffs are just one piece of the global puzzle. Supply chain disruptions, changing trade policies, and cost volatility in materials mean that agility in packaging and product delivery is now a competitive requirement, not a "nice-to-have”.

Sustainability, Transparency, and Snackification

The upcoming Sweets & Snacks Expo will spotlight major themes that reflect long-term shifts in consumer preferences. Among them: the rise of “permissible indulgence,” growing demand for plant-based ingredients, and an increased focus on how products make consumers feel—from mental clarity to satiety.

Packaging plays a key role in all of these. Shoppers expect more than just eye-catching graphics - they want QR codes that tell a story, clear sustainability messaging, and packaging that communicates wellness benefits without overstepping regulatory bounds.

In other words, brands need packaging that informs, inspires, and complies, all at once.

The Evolving CPG Consumer: From Convenience to Connection

Recent analysis from Attest reinforces that today's consumers are placing greater emphasis on health, sustainability, and ethical production. Notably, transparency in ingredient sourcing, environmental impact, and packaging waste are no longer niche concerns, they are mainstream decision drivers.

Consumers are also showing increased willingness to engage with brands that make transparency and values central to their messaging. Whether it’s a pledge to reduce plastic, or a clearly communicated carbon footprint on the label, buyers are rewarding companies that go beyond performance to prioritize purpose.

This is forcing brands to get smarter - not just in how they design products, but in how they communicate those choices quickly and clearly.

Packaging Is Now a Compliance Battlefield

One of the most urgent shifts is regulatory. A growing number of countries, and now several U.S. states, are tightening rules around labeling, ingredients, sustainability claims, and even the recyclability of packaging materials.

As reported by Packaging Tech Today, regulatory demands are becoming a “compliance battlefield” for CPG companies. It’s no longer enough to roll out a product with a single set of packaging materials and messages. Instead, companies need to localize content, ingredients, warnings, and environmental impact information in response to specific legal frameworks, often with very little lead time.

This regulatory pressure doesn’t just raise the stakes, it stretches internal teams to the limit. Compliance now affects marketing, product development, operations, and legal - all of whom need to coordinate across systems that are often siloed and outdated.

The Bottleneck of Change: Internal Teams Under Pressure

All these changes (consumer demands, regulatory shifts, cost pressures) put enormous stress on internal operations.

Many mid-sized CPG companies still rely on legacy systems or manual processes to manage artwork changes, ingredient label updates, or compliance tracking. What used to be a quarterly or annual packaging refresh is now a near-continuous cycle of updates, reviews, and last-minute adjustments. One error can trigger product recalls, consumer backlash, or regulatory fines.

The problem isn’t just speed, it’s visibility and coordination. Marketing, compliance, operations, and product teams must work from the same source of truth, approve changes in real-time, and track who did what, when, and why. But when spreadsheets, email chains, and disconnected tools are the default, agility is nearly impossible.

This isn’t just a technology problem. It’s a workflow problem. And it’s becoming a bottleneck for growth, especially for companies trying to scale product lines or enter new markets.

How CPG Companies Can Move Forward

The future of packaging and compliance in the CPG world won’t be defined by the companies with the biggest budgets. It will be defined by those that are most adaptable.

That means investing in systems and processes that enable rapid iteration, centralized visibility, automated compliance checks, and team collaboration without the chaos. It means building workflows that scale and systems that learn from every change, not just store it.

And it means treating packaging not just as a design output, but as a strategic asset that connects branding, compliance, and consumer trust.

Where DOQMIND Comes In

At DOQMIND, we built our platform to meet exactly these challenges. Designed specifically for CPG companies, our solution streamlines the entire packaging process - from initial briefing to final file handoff. With automated compliance checks, version control, multi-market localization, and real-time collaboration tools, DOQMIND helps internal teams move faster, reduce risk, and stay ahead of market changes. While the industry evolves, we make sure your process keeps pace.

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