Packaging Around the World: Sweden

If you’ve worked in the packaging industry for some time, you might be like us here at PackagingSchool.com and look forward to grocery store outings, likely spending too much time browsing the packaging designs—and, wow, is that excitement quadrupled when traveling abroad! 

In this series of blogs, we’ll explore packaging from around the world through the pictures and experiences of our team members whilst traveling abroad—starting with our very own Mitch Webster. 

Now, let’s hear from Mitch as he tells of his travel experience and the notable packaging he came across during his time in Stockholm and Dalarna County in Sweden . . . 

Hej!

My name is Mitch Webster and I’m the Business Strategist (Marketing lead) here at PackagingSchool.com; this is where I began my career in the packaging industry in June of 2022 as a Marketing and Sales intern. Since then, I’ve been captivated by packaging (particularly biomaterials and alternative materials)—never shying away from talking about it to anyone who will listen.

This curiosity and passion was only invigorated when I was lucky enough to visit the wonderful nation of Sweden for the first time last year as part of a Master’s of Science in Sustainability Management (MSSM) program I was a part of at American University’s Kogod School of Business.

Stockholm

The purpose of the trip was to explore the city of Stockholm, learn the Scandinavian approach to sustainable business by meeting with startups, and conduct a consulting project with an impact-focused startup at the Norrsken Foundation. Throughout my time in Stockholm, I frequented many stores and markets, coming across unique and sustainable packaging like this 100% paper and mono-material battery packaging: 

As a frequent gamer, I purchase batteries quite often. In the states (Washington D.C. area), they typically come in a package that looks like this (see image below) and includes both paper and plastic, making it inherently harder to recycle. 

I personally find the Duracell packaging in Sweden more innovative; I like that it uses one material throughout, making it prime for recycling. Sweden, as a member of the European Union, has more stringent packaging regulations, including the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Directive (PPWD). Alongside other Scandinavian nations, Sweden has always been seen as a champion in sustainability, which does not stop at packaging systems.

Like many countries around the world, Sweden decided to implement an extended producer responsibility (EPR) program for packaging (Ordinance - 2022:1274) that took effect in January of 2023. You can learn more about extended producer responsibility for packaging and programs in 60+ countries in another post we wrote here. 

Dalarna County

Due to a packed schedule during my time in Stockholm, I didn’t get to explore the packaging scene in depth as I would have liked. But luckily after my week in Stockholm, two of my classmates and I rented an EV to drive 5 hours north to Lake Venjanssjön in Dalarna County, Sweden for a relaxing weekend on the lake and to explore the Swedish countryside. 

As we piled into the car and started our journey, we talked about what we needed to do before we got to the Airbnb which was an hour from the closest town, Mora. One of the first things on the list was to stop at a grocery store to get food and drinks for the long weekend, and as a packaging professional, this was an exciting proposition. 

Stockholm is the capital and largest city in Sweden, meaning a large percentage of the population speaks pretty strong English and is familiar with travelers from all over the world—Mora and Dalarna County, however, were a completely different story (Mora with a population of 11,000). When we first got to Mora and visited an ICA (a leading grocery store chain in Sweden), we quickly realized that the store and all packaging in said store was designed by and for Swedes. Not a single product, sign, or package had any English on it, and we had to use a translator app to communicate with store associates.

We learned that we were the first Americans anyone in the store had ever met, which was a recurring theme during our time in Dalarna County. The folks we met in Dalarna County were extremely hospitable, gave us countless recommendations, and were both excited and confused as to why we chose to vacation there, as most tourists visit Stockholm, Gothenburg, etc. 

When visiting a grocery store / environment we’re not familiar with, we shift from top down processing to bottom up processing. For packaging designers and CPG brands, this is the preferred state for consumers to be in, as it allows for new senses and the package design itself to guide purchases—not preconceived notions or brand prejudice.

And that is just what happened with us in this unfamiliar store; we probably spent over an hour and a half exploring the different food options, packaging, and simply immersed ourselves in the local culture.

Since we were going to be spending our days on the water and in the Swedish wilderness, we opted for quick breakfasts that would allow us to make the most of our days. This led us to the cereal aisle . . .

The cereal aisle in Mora is not too different from cereal aisles in US grocery stores, with popping colors, graphics, and the use of brand mascots / cartoons.

Which of these packages catches your eye first? 

For me, it’s the “RIS” cereal on the top right, as it uses what seems to be a clear plastic bag to disrupt the shelf filled with paperboard boxes—common packaging for cereal. Many food products (including frozen pizzas, meat, etc.) contain a voluntary Nutri-Score label, which uses five different colors to categorize the nutritional content of foods—with dark green being deemed the most nutritious and dark red the least. The US is currently researching how to implement a similar front-of-package labeling system that will help consumers navigate the nutritional content of different offerings at a glance; you can learn more about this initiative in our past blog here. 

We also stopped by the candy aisle for some snacks for the boat—here is a shot I took of the candy aisle in the ICA.

Similar to a candy aisle in the US, the packages include fun colors and a mix of bars, cartons, and hanging pouches. This was my first time seeing many of these brands, with the only exception being the Werther’s Originals in the top left corner. 

Which of these packages were you drawn to?

The “Marianne” peppermint candy in the center with its red and white striped bag caught my eye. In an aisle with a ton of color competition and playful graphics, Marianne keeps it simple with a red and white striped design that disrupts the shelf and gives the consumer visual information on what type of candy the bag contains, which was helpful to me in an environment where nothing was in English.

As we planned to explore and fish Lake Venjanssjön in a small rowboat, we made sure to stock up on some local beer! Here are some of my favorites . . .

My favorite packaging design from the bunch also happened to be my favorite beer, the Norrlands Guld—complete with a picturesque can design of a lake with a golden backdrop, which paired well with the glorious sunsets on Lake Venjanssjön.

Another design that caught my attention was Ljus Lager, a non-alcoholic brew made by Swiss company Emdbraü. The color combination and ostrich illustration immediately stood out to me, so I decided to pick up the can and investigate. To my surprise . . .

Emdbraü cleverly uses the back of the can to continue the design—this was my first time seeing a design like this, and I had to buy it just for the packaging!

No matter how the can is displayed (front facing or backwards), Ljus Lager is bound to make an impression on consumers with the compelling color and graphics of the package design. It is also interesting that the cans are made by the Ball Corporation, a US-based leader in aluminum and beverage packaging with such a presence in the aluminum can market that they reach grocery stores in small towns in Sweden.

We also purchased this 6-pack of Mariestads Klass II, which was packaged in an FSC-certified paper multi-pack holder. A common theme to the packaging I saw in Sweden was the use of materials like paper and aluminum over that of plastic—as a result, I saw little to no plastic or packaging litter during my time in Stockholm and Dalarna County.

Mariestads uses the multi-pack paperboard packaging to provide further info about the product and its end-of-life process, as well as pay homage to the company’s roots and its founding in 1848. Since my return, I've seen this type of paper-based multi-pack in the US, but I first saw it during my time in Sweden.

Conclusion

My time in Sweden is one I will never forget—from visiting the beautiful Stockholm harbor and Vasa museum to exploring Sweden’s pristine wilderness. As I was in Stockholm for a sustainability management program, I found it incredibly profound to explore the local environment the organizations I met with and consulted for were striving to protect and reduce their impact upon. 

Part of this life-changing experience was venturing into Dalarna County and exploring the contrast between life in the capital city and a small, relatively unknown town. One constant remained—the Swedish philosophy of protecting the environment and its natural space in both industry and personal actions, and I experienced this through the countless examples of sustainable packaging, deposit return systems (DRS), and conversations with businesses in Stockholm and Mora. 

Understanding and appreciating packaging gives a unique perspective when traveling—through packaging we can see the way ideas are presented, common branding practices, how sustainability is approached, and much more. And if you find yourself in a situation like I was in at ICA in Mora, take time to peruse the shelves and get inspired—it was one of the most interesting experiences I’ve had in my travels.

Tak (thank you) for the memories, Sweden, and I hope to return one day to both Stockholm and Lake Venjanssjön.