Manufacturing packaging redesigns have been associated with an average 4% increase in product volume across nearly a decade of NielsenIQ (NIQ) Design Impact Award winners, according to the consumer intelligence company.
NIQ announced eight winners of its 2026 Design Impact Awards, recognising packaging redesigns that it said combined improved shopper experiences with measurable commercial performance.
“The Design Impact Awards reinforce the critical role packaging plays in influencing shopper decisions and driving business growth,” said Andrea Fraboni, vice president and global leader of Pack & Design Solutions at NIQ.
“Packaging has seconds to do its job. The strongest redesigns make products easier to notice, understand and choose while preserving the distinctive brand cues consumers recognize,” Fraboni said.
The 2026 winners included Aval French Cider, Liquid I.V., Root & Splendor, Hostess Cakes, Back to Nature, John West Tuna Chunks, Country Fresh Ice Cream and Rustica Pizza, spanning markets including the US, UK and South Africa.
NIQ said its Pack & Design experts assessed submissions against packaging principles and the role packaging plays throughout the shopper journey. The company also used its Retail Measurement Services data to identify brands that recorded measurable sales growth after introducing updated packaging.
According to NIQ, the winning redesigns shared a focus on making products easier for shoppers to notice, understand and select. The company pointed to factors including shelf visibility, clearer information hierarchy, simplified communication and distinctive branding.
“Packaging design isn’t simply aesthetic,” Fraboni said. “When done well, it can be a meaningful driver of shopper engagement and business growth.”
NIQ said its Pack & Design Solutions practice works with manufacturers to evaluate and optimise packaging, combining neuroscience-based research with behavioural and survey-based approaches to support packaging design decisions.
The company did not state that packaging redesign alone caused the reported volume increases, but said the award-winning redesigns were associated with measurable commercial performance following their launch.
