It’s 2025.
This CPG Packaging Deserves a Re-Design

Inspired by the good folks at IDEO—and in the mood for some fresh, blue-sky thinking, being that it’s a whole new year—we asked Kaleidoscopers which CPG packaging they’d like to re-design in 2025.

Unsurprisingly, greater sustainability was a big request. So was improved functionality in the form of resealability (seriously cereal, why?), smarter portioning, and the ability to open a package without risking laceration. These are just a few of our thoughts, but we’d love to know yours. What frustrates you? What feels wasteful? What feels so dated it should just be discontinued? What should we take into our studio and re-design from scratch?

Our list is long, but we should be fair: for everything mentioned here, there are many CPG packages that have improved, and we love to see it because innovation rules. Stay tuned for that list soon.

For Pete’s sake, make it resealable

“There are SO many things I wish were resealable! Cereal and bacon packages are the first that come to mind. Same with family-size bags of snacks: pretzels, popcorn, chips, etc.”

Sarah Fuger, Senior Project Manager

“One thing I always wish they made was cereal in resealable containers instead of a single-use bag inside a cardboard box. You either use a clip to keep the bag closed inside the box or you have to completely empty it into another container that you can reuse.”

Ryan Adamczak, Finance & HR Manager

“Tear strips on resealable bags that don’t tear easily—or in a straight line.”

Julie Brzozkiewicz, Design Implementation Artist

“My daughter is a huge breakfast meat person. I always feel like I’m doing something wrong no matter how I open sleeves of bacon. Some brands opt for the weak resealable flap but most, I think, assume you slice open one side and use the entire package in one go? I end up putting the whole remainder in an additional Ziploc bag afterwards and don’t like it.”

Tyler Terrell, Senior Designer

Ugh, so much waste

“Not enough plastic that’s actually recyclable. This could at least be a step between what’s out there now and materials that are compostable—or at least biodegradable.”

Julie Brzozkiewicz, Design Implementation Artist

“Bagged salad mixes. THERE MUST BE A BETTER WAY than 3-4 single-use plastic bags, all inside one large single-use plastic bag. Maybe a compostable, divided tray system? It feels awful throwing out so much plastic just for one salad mix.”

Melissa Simmerman, Senior Director, Growth & Strategy

“Those individual snack bags that you can get a box of 20 of, whether it’s chips, cookies, snacks in general…there’s got to be a better way of not using 20 separate bags contained within a whole box, right? It seems pretty wasteful. What happens if I want more than one type of chip? I now have to open multiple bags and waste them, when I could have grabbed what I wanted and used only one bag. Wouldn’t it be fascinating if they could put the chips in various compartments within the box, and then you can selectively mix and match the chips you want, without wasting 20 bags and a box on top of it?”

Jack Reddington, Human Resources Coordinator

“Pasta. Just get rid of the windows entirely, there are other ways to visualize a product. I like to recycle my pasta boxes, and it’s a minor thing, but having to pull out the non-recyclable window plastic doesn’t feel like something that should be handed down to me, the consumer.”

Tyler Terrell, Senior Designer

“Blister packs in general. Like for tubes of mascara, makeup brushes, toothbrushes, etc. They’re so difficult to get into, the paper backing often tears into tiny pieces that end up in the trash rather than recycling. And the plastic isn’t recyclable at all. I’d love to see more of these slim, small products in recyclable paper pouches that can still hang on retail pegboards.”

Melissa Simmerman, Senior Director, Growth & Strategy

Portion Control

“Would love to see proteins packaged in a way that is either portioned out per serving or at least is much more compatible with home vacuum sealers for easier portioning.”

Julie Brzozkiewicz, Implementation Artist

“We’ve used a couple different meal kit services and picked up a few ready-made meals from grocers and my one build would be for ease of separating items that will be reheated from those that won’t. Could there be some opportunity for still using one container but segmenting items further or having a perforated section break off to throw in an air fryer?”

Tyler Terrell, Senior Designer

Danger Zones

“My biggest packaging pet peeve is the cap/seal liners that you can never remove without a forceful puncture, which puts me and others near me at risk for injury! Most vitamin, supplement, and condiment packages have these incredibly difficult-to-remove seals. I get the purpose of tamper- and leak-proof, but there must be a more functional alternative to getting to the product!”

Maria Berry, VP, Business Operations

“The ring tabs on coffee creamer. If you have arthritis or mobility issues, it’s impossible to take them off. The vibrancy of 75-year-olds is amazing—they’re playing pickleball, they’re walking, they’re thriving, but there are still limits.”

Dave Ball, Group Account Director

Holiday Fails

“Christmas tree packaging! As soon as it’s out of the wrap, tape, or rope inside the box, just forget about putting it back in neatly. The boxes take up SO much room, only to bust open at the seams and sprinkle fake bristles everywhere as they are dragged back to storage. I feel like there must be a way to create something that folds flat, locks together when popped up, and doesn’t require two people squishing the tree down into the box like an overstuffed suitcase in order to store properly!”

Maddie Wray, Account Manager