Grocery chain puts its store brand’s prices right in the packaging, as a promise of price stability

With cost-of-living increases, including inflation, causing anxiety for consumers across the world, a German grocery chain has found a design-forward way of promising price stability for its store-brand products—making the price itself a key element of the package design. German grocery retailer Penny (which has a history of doing highly creative advertising as well) introduced its “Price Packs” on Sept. 2. Dreamed up by agency Serviceplan, they feature the price in big block letters right on the packaging. In a world of constantly fluctuating prices, the Price Packs serve as a promise of price stability. And they are also designed to make it easier for consumers to spot a good deal, particularly next to the higher prices of big brands on the same shelves. While not a guarantee that the price will never change, the semi-permanence of Price Packs is obvious, as it would take several months to alter the production process and change the packaging. The Price Packs were also created for items—such as bread, salt, oats, chips and mayonnaise—that research has shown to be the most price-stable items at Penny. The Price Packs are being promoted in nationwide ad campaign featuring billboards, posters, digital displays and social media ads. The creative of the advertising is as minimalist as the package design itself. “With Price Pakcs, we are putting the price on the packaging for the first time, showing that our own brands offer the best value for money,” said Jan Flemming, chief marketing officer at Penny. “In marketing, you often have to decide between promoting price or product. We’re happy to have found a way to do both,” said Till Diestel, chief creative officer at Serviceplan Germany. More Creativity coverage from Ad Age: Sign up for our daily Creativity newsletter to see the best stories of the day.

Grocery chain puts its store brand’s prices right in the packaging, as a promise of price stability

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