fpm brief

The FPM Brief, a new series of articles on consumer CPG research and behavior, highlights how research insights fuel creative intelligence in packaging design, branding, and marketing. By analyzing consumer interactions and purchasing drivers, we reveal strategies that enable brands to connect authentically with their audience, empowering them to stand out in today’s competitive market.

Read one of our latest articles

Designing Tomorrow: Navigating the Frontiers of Intelligent Design in 2026

What Europes Grocery Isles are Teaching Us

Between train stations and café stops, Europe’s grocery aisles became an unexpected classroom, filled with packaging that spoke loudly with elegant confidence. We noticed that European packaging, even the ones manufactured by American brands, felt noticeably more restrained.

01. oversized logos

The designs for Kellogs® cereal are uncluttered, with an oversized logo that becomes part of the visual identity, functioning almost like a distinctive background pattern. And those unusual color combinations? A sophisticated spin to the classic warm hues we see on cereal boxes.

The layout simplicity and punchy colors are also seen here on these Bahlsen® wafers. The vertical white logo and the deep ultramarine blue background highlight the wafer sweets to perfection. Talk about impulse buying! No need to read how good they are. We can SEE how good they are.

The Colussi® baked crackers below follow the same oversize logo + uncluttered design, but use a natural, home-baked aesthetic that is just as equally appetizing.

02. hierarchy

Functional snacks, such as Misura® treat the main benefit as a second-read element, in this case Protein, and Rich in Fiber. The illustration that surrounds the minimal, circular space in the center acts as an inspiring lifestyle frame for the essential information. Continuing the trend are the Piacersi® (literally Loving Yourself) herbal teas, with the Balance and Immunity as second read in a central space surrounded by natural ingredients.

Also notably, the logo size proportions are consistently larger than the rest of the information on a lot of packages. These are well established brands, like Pernigotti™, a chocolate brand founded in 1860, or Gallo®, a rice manufacturer in existence since 1856. Presumably consumers are first drawn by a well-trusted brand visual and second by the type of product they are looking for.

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