Measurement
Part of Check packaging marketing measurement before you report results
Before you trust packaging marketing measurement, fix these mistakes
Ten packaging marketing measurement mistakes that distort results, from activity metrics to cost scope, plus a worked example in pounds and a rules check.
What to take away
- Counting scans, likes and posts without tying them to sales is the mistake most teams make first, and it flatters every report.
- Mixing units, dates and channels in one figure makes comparison impossible, so errors hide inside averages.
- Cost figures need a defined scope, or the same box is counted twice across teams.
- Consumer-facing claims need evidence, and packaging obligations sit under waste rules rather than marketing rules.
Ten measurement mistakes
1. Counting activity instead of outcomes
A dashboard full of shares, QR scans and warehouse photos feels busy. None of it tells you whether the packaging sold more. Pick one commercial outcome per campaign, such as repeat purchase rate, and report activity only as context.
Ten Measurement Mistakes
- Counting activity instead of outcomes
- Mixing units in one figure
- Comparing periods that do not match
- Leaving the control group out
- Double counting packaging cost
- Counting a scan
2. Mixing units in one figure
Combining impressions, orders and pounds in a single table invites arithmetic errors. Keep counts, money and rates in separate columns, then combine them only in a final calculation.
3. Comparing periods that do not match
A four-week campaign measured against a thirteen-week quarter proves nothing. Align the comparison window to the campaign length, or state clearly why the windows differ.
4. Leaving the control group out
If every customer receives the new box, you cannot separate packaging effects from price, season or media spend. Hold back a small control group where operationally possible. Where it is not, say so in the report rather than implying causality.
5. Double counting packaging cost
The design fee, the print run, the fulfilment insert and the returns rate can all sit in different budgets. Agree one scope before you total anything. Our packaging marketing measurement and reporting guide 2027 sets out a scope template you can copy into your own cost sheet.
6. Counting a scan as a sale
A QR scan shows interest, not revenue. Track the scan, then track what happens after it, using a landing page or a code that ties back to the order.
7. Ignoring returns and damage
A box that looks good but arrives crushed creates cost. Include damage rates and return reasons in the same report as the design metrics, or a strong unboxing campaign can lose money on replacements and refunds.
8. Forgetting the rules behind the numbers
Packaging data has a legal dimension. The Producer Responsibility Obligations (Packaging and Packaging Waste) Regulations 2024 place extended producer responsibility duties on businesses handling packaging, replacing the 2007 regulations, so tonnage figures matter beyond marketing. Reporting duties sit behind those numbers.
9. Overlooking business churn
Your customer base changes as firms open and close. The Office for National Statistics publishes business births, deaths and survival rates, a useful reality check when a sales fall is blamed entirely on packaging.
10. Skipping the trust check
If your packaging sends buyers to a QR code, a portal or a warranty page, digital trust affects whether they follow through. BSI's digital trust expertise covers the security and confidence questions behind those journeys.
Worked example
A small English brand sells 4,000 units a quarter at £25 each, giving £100,000 in revenue. It spends £6,000 on design, £14,000 on printing and £3,000 on fulfilment inserts, a total packaging spend of £23,000, or 23 per cent of revenue.
A new box raises the repeat purchase rate from 12 per cent to 14 per cent, adding an illustrative £2,000 in repeat revenue for the quarter. Against £23,000 of spend, that is a loss.
The fix was not a better box but cutting the print run and testing attribution properly. See our packaging marketing attribution methods in England.
Common questions
Which mistake costs the most?
Counting activity instead of outcomes, because it hides every other error behind a busy dashboard. Fix the outcome metric first.
How often should packaging metrics be reviewed?
Match the review cycle to the campaign length. A quarterly review suits most small brands, with a short check after each print run to catch damage and returns early.
Do packaging claims need evidence?
Yes. Any claim about recycled content or recyclability should be supported by documentation you can produce on request. Keep that evidence with the campaign file.
Can one person own measurement?
One named owner works better than a committee, provided they can see design, print and fulfilment costs. Give them authority to reject figures that lack a stated scope.
