Mini beauty and personal care products are becoming increasingly popular among Millennials, confirming a growing consumer fascination with miniaturisation.
Driven by the opportunity to try new products at a lower cost, as well as travel-friendly convenience for on-the-go lifestyles, mini formats are a perfect fit for consumers seeking new solutions with product trials, suggests a new commentary by Mintel.
The inspiration comes from architecture’s own mini trend. Crowded cities and a lack of space are driving architects to create functional-yet-comfortable tiny spaces. Many examples of mini houses are displayed on Pinterest as cutting-edge, eco-friendly abodes that demonstrate how attractive smaller dwellings can be.
The ultimate goal for the mini category is to give customers exactly what they want, but in a smaller format that’s customized to their personal needs. Establishing a good user experience that’s similar to that of full-sized products will create big ideas for the appeal of minis in the future.
One important tip for brand owners is to ensure that they differentiate minis from deluxe samples. Distinguishing mini-sized products from free samples offered by luxury brands is integral. Providing something unique, such as a variety of choices or anything exclusive is important as mini products can often be a similar size to samples (2-10ml).
That said, mini products often find their inspiration from sampling manufacturers. This area is currently evolving towards more elaborate formats such as multi-use samples and traditional-size products being offered in a mini version. Mintel cites as an example paper company Gruppo Cordenons, which introduced a flat case featuring a transparent window and a ‘Lift and Reseal’ label that allows the product to be refilled and used multiple times.
Packaging suppliers will continue to develop new solutions for smaller-sized products, driven by the increased demand for them, says Mintel. As the ‘mini’ category continues to grow, there are plenty of packaging opportunities to improve applicators, as well as ways to differentiate with new designs that provide more convenience and ease of use.
Article adapted from a Mintel News item. Image collage created by Natural Products Global
4 hours ago