​Executive Summary

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Packaging isn’t just about cardboard and plastic. For today’s older consumers, “packaging” includes how products are wrapped, how instructions are written, how advertising speaks to them, and how a brand makes them feel in-store or online. Done right, packaging is dignity in motion. Done wrong, it’s frustration, shrinkflation, and betrayal.

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This paper looks at packaging across two dimensions: physical products (fonts, dexterity, shrinkflation, honesty in labeling) and brand packaging (advertising, interiors, and cultural alignment). Along the way, we highlight a live case study in how not to water down a brand: Cracker Barrel

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Part I: Packaging That Works for Grown-Ups

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• Dexterity Matters. Clamshells, shrink wrap, and twist ties are torture devices, not packaging. Design closures people can actually open.

• Stop Over-Packaging. Pre-wrapped potatoes and pineapples might make scanning easier, but they rob shoppers of choice.

• Tell the Truth. Full ingredient lists, real testimonials, and clear GMO labeling are the foundation of trust.

• Price Visibility. If you use barcodes, make sure scanners are plentiful. Customers should never need a treasure hunt to find out what something costs.

• Shrinkflation: The Silent Insult. Customers know when the tuna can shrinks from 6 oz to 4.5 oz. Don’t force them to buy two for a recipe, that’s not efficient, it’s manipulative.

 

“Shrinkflation may look clever on a quarterly report, but to your customers, it’s betrayal in a box.”

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Part II: Packaging Beyond the Box — Branding as Packaging

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Packaging isn’t just containers. It’s also:

• Advertising. The tone you strike tells buyers if you respect them or patronize them.

• Interiors. Décor, layout, signage, all of it “packages” the experience.

• Attitude. Customer service either reinforces your story or erases it.

 

Case Study: Cracker Barrel’s Slow-Motion Train Wreck

• Who are you responsible to? Owners and shareholders, not every passing social movement.

• What are you selling? Southern nostalgia, rural ambience, and comfort food at a fair price.

• Who is your audience? Baby Boomers and older consumers of all backgrounds who want a taste of memory, value, and Americana.

 

Instead of leaning into nostalgia, patriotism, Route 66, Americana, and the hearty foods that made it beloved, Cracker Barrel diluted its brand identity. The result: alienated loyalists and no clear new audience.

“You can’t sell nostalgia if you erase the source of it.”

The lesson: Lean in, don’t water down. Brands thrive when they double down on their DNA, not when they apologize for it.

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Conclusion

Respect is the ultimate design principle, whether you’re selling tuna cans, toothpaste, or biscuits and gravy. Packaging is more than what sits on a shelf. It’s the story you wrap around your product, the dignity you extend to your customer, and the loyalty you earn in return.

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Suddenly Seventy offers:

• Senior Marketing Audits (evaluate your packaging, instructions, and customer experience).

• Checklists & Templates for accessible design and communication.

• Workshops & Lunch-and-Learns for teams that want to win and keep older customers.