New Zealand’s pet industry is estimated to be worth $3.7 billion, creating significant opportunities for businesses producing pet food, treats, supplements and animal wellness products. (Source: New Zealand Pet Industry Statistics, citing the 2023 PIANZ report)
As the market grows, brands need packaging that does more than simply hold their product. Effective pet food packaging in New Zealand must protect what is inside, communicate important information clearly and give customers a reason to choose one product over another.
For New Zealand pet brands preparing to launch a new product or refresh an existing range, here are some of the key factors to consider before moving into packaging production.
Pet food packaging needs to communicate quickly
Customers often make decisions within seconds, particularly when comparing several products on a retail shelf or scrolling through an online store.
The front of your packaging should make it easy to understand:
- What the product is
- Whether it is intended for cats, dogs or another animal
- The flavour or product variety
- Its primary benefit
- How the product is used
- What makes it different from competing products
Pet food and supplement packaging can require a large amount of information, but this does not mean everything should be given equal prominence.
A clear visual hierarchy helps customers identify the most important details first, while supporting information can be positioned elsewhere on the carton.
Design your packaging around the customer’s buying decision
Before designing pet food packaging, it is important to understand what customers will be looking for when selecting the product.
For a pet health supplement, customers may prioritise the product’s purpose, ingredients and intended health benefits. For pet treats, flavour, texture and ingredient quality may be more influential. For premium pet food, sourcing, nutritional information and product quality may need to take centre stage.
The packaging should be structured around these buying priorities.
A strong design may attract attention, but clear information helps turn that attention into confidence and, ultimately, a purchase.
Create consistency across the full product range
Many pet food brands offer several flavours, formulas, life stages or product sizes.
Each option needs to be easy to distinguish while still looking like part of the same brand family.
Brightprint recently produced a colourful range of Cat Health Topper cartons for Earthz Pet, featuring New Zealand lamb, free-range chicken and grass-fed beef varieties.
Each carton follows the same overall structure and design system, while a distinctive colour is used to identify each flavour. This allows customers to quickly navigate the range without losing the consistency of the Earthz Pet brand.
A flexible packaging system can include:
- Consistent logo placement
- Repeatable typography
- Clear flavour colour coding
- Standardised product information
- A consistent carton shape and structure
- Recognisable imagery and design elements
This approach also makes it easier to introduce new flavours or products in the future.
Consider whether customers should see the product
A custom die-cut window can help build trust by allowing customers to see the product before purchasing.
The Earthz Pet cartons feature a window that reveals the three bottles held inside each pack. This creates visual interest while also showing customers exactly what they will receive.
A die-cut window can work particularly well for:
- Bottled pet supplements
- Treats and biscuits
- Multi-packs
- Product bundles
- Pet accessories
- Products where appearance or quantity supports the buying decision
However, the window needs to be carefully positioned. It should complement the printed design without weakening the carton or taking space away from essential product information.
Structure is just as important as design
Successful pet food packaging is not only about how the outside looks.
The carton must also fit the product correctly and protect it throughout packing, transportation, storage and retail handling.
Bottles, jars, pouches and other items may require a custom carton structure or internal support to reduce movement. Designing around the actual dimensions and weight of the product can help prevent damage and create a more polished customer experience.
Before production begins, brands should consider:
- The size and weight of the product
- How many products will sit inside each pack
- Whether internal supports are required
- How the carton will be assembled and packed
- How it will be transported and stored
- Whether it needs to be displayed upright
- How easily customers should be able to open it
Thinking through these practical details early can prevent expensive packaging changes later.
Packaging should work online and on the shelf
Pet products are increasingly sold through a mix of retail stores, specialist pet suppliers, veterinary clinics and ecommerce websites.
That means packaging needs to perform well in several different environments.
A carton that looks effective at full size on a shelf may become difficult to understand when reduced to a small ecommerce thumbnail. Clear product names, strong colour differentiation and an uncluttered front panel can help packaging remain recognisable online.
Brands should consider how their packaging will appear across:
- Retail shelving
- Ecommerce product pages
- Social media content
- Subscription boxes
- Veterinary clinics
- Trade displays
- Promotional photography
Creating packaging with both physical and digital environments in mind helps support a more consistent customer experience.
Leave room for required product information
Pet food and animal supplement packaging may need to include ingredients, nutritional information, feeding directions, storage instructions, batch details, contact information and other required statements.
The exact requirements will depend on the type of product and how it is marketed.
These details should be considered before the visual design is finalised. Leaving regulatory and supporting information until the end can result in overcrowded panels, small text or last-minute design changes.
Your packaging supplier and designer should work from an accurate list of required content before preparing final artwork for production.
Choose packaging materials that suit the product
The right material will depend on the product, its weight, the required level of protection and where it will be sold.
A lightweight supplement carton may have different structural requirements from packaging designed for a heavier jar, pouch or multi-pack.
Factors to consider include:
- Board strength and thickness
- Moisture and storage conditions
- Product weight
- Transport requirements
- Print quality
- Finishing options
- Sustainability goals
- How the carton will be packed and assembled
Selecting the right board and carton construction helps ensure the finished packaging looks professional and performs as intended.
Plan for future growth
Pet brands often begin with one or two products before expanding into new flavours, health benefits, animal types or product sizes.
Creating a flexible packaging system from the beginning can make this growth easier and more cost-effective.
A scalable system may include:
- A repeatable carton structure
- A planned colour system
- Consistent information placement
- Rules for naming flavours and formulas
- Space for future product claims
- A design that can adapt to different pack sizes
Planning ahead helps protect brand consistency as the range grows.
Custom pet food packaging made in New Zealand
Every pet product has different requirements, which is why an off-the-shelf packaging solution will not always provide the best result.
Brightprint works with New Zealand businesses to develop and manufacture custom packaging for products including:
- Pet food
- Pet treats
- Nutritional supplements
- Animal health and wellness products
- Bottled products
- Multi-packs
- Retail cartons
- Ecommerce and subscription packaging
From carton construction and board selection to printing, finishing and custom die-cutting, our team can help create pet food packaging that protects your product, supports your brand and stands out in the market.
Looking for pet food packaging in New Zealand?
Are you launching a new pet food, treat or supplement product, or refreshing the packaging for an existing range?
Brightprint works with New Zealand pet brands to create custom packaging designed around the product, its storage requirements and how it will be presented to customers.
Explore our pet food packaging NZ solutions or talk to our packaging experts about creating the right carton for your range.
