State of the Folding Carton Industry

While pipeline transparency may not be a top-of-mind concern for brand owners, shelf appeal always is. Consumer products manufacturers are in continuous pursuit of packaging features that "make us want to buy," says Steve Scherger, senior VP, consumer packaging, at Graphic Packaging.

What brands want to achieve, says Iannuccillo, is "a very high-end look, but driving costs out of it" by economizing on packaging design where they can—for example, by replacing a diecut window with a simple picture of the product inside.