Packaging companies and their manufacturers need to introduce smaller and lighter packs to meet Thailand’s changing needs.
Thailand is undergoing a rapid process of urbanization. The rural population, which mainly works in the low paying agricultural sector, is moving to towns and cities in search of better paying manufacturing jobs. 7.8% of the population is forecast to have migrated from rural to urban areas between 2000 and 2020. These newly urban consumers will have to stick to a very tight shopping budget and, as such will need smaller packs in order to keep products affordable and attainable.
The proportion of older consumers in Thailand is also growing. Those aged 65 years and older will make up 13% of the total population by 2020. This age group will become an important consumer segment, resulting in a rise in demand for packaging that is light and easy to open and handle. Moreover, older consumers prefer packaging with easy-to-read labelling such as large fonts and contrasting colors.