What can be done so that packaging can easily be opened by the majority of consumers? Well CEN/TS 15945:2011 / ISO 17480 (2015) provides a method by which both the packaging’s ease of opening and consumer satisfaction attributes can be assessed. It takes into account that with age, not only visual acuity and motor skills diminish, but also that the power of the hands starts to decrease. Easy opening is defined here as … “ease of handling during the opening process which is supported by the product packaging to give the consumer the chance to reach his or her key objective (s)”. The main objectives are effectiveness and efficiency while handling and the degree of consumer satisfaction with the handling process. Packaging is considered as easy to open if the majority of adult consumers describe it as effective, efficient and satisfactory according to the above criteria.
Target group test procedures according to CEN/TS 15945:2011 / ISO 17480 (2015)
There is a test procedure according to CEN/TS 15945:2011 / ISO 17480 (2015). It describes a test with a group of 100 randomly selected male and female participants aged 65 to 80, in accordance to the criteria table below. Participants are handed a sample pack that corresponds in its presentation to the package that will be commercially offered later on. The main objectives to be achieved by the consumers when opening the package are tested in three stages. They are as follows: “Testing effectiveness while opening” followed by “Checking efficiency while opening” and “Testing satisfaction with opening process”. A test is considered successful if in the first stage the opening procedure is evaluated by the participants as effective within five minutes. Then the opening procedure is repeated by the participants and is described to be efficient if they can open the package again in less than one minute. Satisfaction with the opening process can finally be expressed on a symbolic scale of “Smilies”, that each carries a numeric value.
Working together
For the market success of a product, the packaging plays an important role as it directly affects consumer satisfaction. But how is this to be achieved in individual cases? CEN/TS 15945:2011 is a suitable instrument. During packaging development it is possible to monitor consumer acceptance through targeted panel testing. In this way mistakes can be avoided and improvements discovered. In order to ensure that this process is successful and to fulfill the requirements of CEN/TS 15945:2011 a competent partner is needed. Accredited service providers provide qualified support, be it in the assistance of the choice of packaging or in providing the panel group testing according to CEN/TS 15945. Such collaboration ensures that the packaging meets the requirements of the producer, the product, consumers and society.
