1. The Turning Point: When Haldiram’s Realised Packaging Needed to Grow With the Brand

In 2021, Haldiram’s found itself at a strange crossroads. The brand was loved across India, yet something wasn’t working the way it used to. Retail teams noticed a quiet but steady decline in shelf excitement. Competitors were launching modern packs with bold colours, clean fonts, and youthful design strategy. Shoppers still trusted Haldiram’s, but their buying behaviour was shifting fast. The brand needed to rethink how packaging influences shelf decisions. And that’s where the big transformation began — a transformation that showedHow Packaging Redesign Increased a Brand’s Shelf Pickup Rate, and how a simple visual shift could change everything.

This wasn’t a small challenge. It was a moment of truth for a heritage brand. The question was simple: could a packaging redesign bring back attention in a crowded FMCG aisle where seconds decide sales?

2. Why Haldiram’s Packaging Needed a Fresh Start

Consumer buying behavior in India has changed dramatically over the last decade. Younger shoppers, especially Gen Z and millennials, expect packaging to feel modern, clean, and premium even in mass-market FMCG categories. Haldiram’s snack packs still carried strong nostalgia, but some product lines lacked visual differentiation.

Retail studies show that over 70% of Indian shoppers make impulse FMCG purchases based on packaging appeal. Meanwhile, a 2022 Nielsen report revealed that a product has less than 7 seconds on the shelf to capture attention. For Haldiram’s, this meant one thing — staying relevant required more than great taste. It required packaging optimization and a fresh approach to design strategy.

As competition intensified, Haldiram’s explored multiple packaging ideas — typography upgrades, bolder colour palettes, cleaner packs, and strong flavour-based cues to help customers pick the right variant instantly.

3. How the Packaging Problem Showed Up on Retail Shelves

Haldiram’s didn’t struggle with awareness. The brand struggled with visual clutter. Many product packs used similar warm colours, which reduced instant recognition. Retail partners shared a surprising insight: new-age brands with simpler designs were getting picked up more often, even when the price per gram was higher.

This trend revealed something deeper — consumers weren’t just buying namkeen. They were buying a moment of mood. A snack that felt fresh. A pack they could post on their Instagram story. Something that matched their lifestyle.

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To understand How Packaging Redesign Increased a Brand’s Shelf Pickup Rate, Haldiram’s needed to track real behaviour. Retail audit data showed that competitors with clean front-facing design saw a 15–25% faster pickup rate across modern trade stores. The market was clear. Packaging redesign wasn’t optional; it was urgent.

4. The Research Phase: When Haldiram’s Stepped Into the Consumer’s Mind

Before starting the redesign, Haldiram’s conducted in-depth research across five metros. They explored questions that went beyond “Do you like this pack?” The brand wanted to know:

• What confuses buyers on the shelf?
• Why do younger shoppers skip traditional designs?
• What design strategy increases snack cravings?
• How does packaging affect sales when multiple options look similar?

Focus groups repeatedly showed that cluttered packs fail in aisles filled with bright, modern FMCG packaging. Many also shared that they loved Haldiram’s flavours but wanted more “confidence” in the product freshness when buying from shelves.

This was a turning point. The product never changed. The emotion around the product did.

5. The Redesign Begins: From Legacy Look to Modern FMCG Appeal

5.1. Step 1: Creating a Cleaner Visual Language

The creative team identified that packaging redesign needed simplification. Modern customers wanted clarity. For decades, Haldiram’s focused on flavour identity. Now they needed a balance between heritage and modernity.

So they introduced:

• Clear hierarchy between product name, subtext, and flavour
• Cleaner fonts for easier reading
• More open design space
• Colour-coded packs for faster recognition

This shifted the product from “traditional snack” to “modern Indian snack brand”.

5.2. Step 2: Using Colour Psychology to Drive Sales

Colour psychology plays a major role in FMCG purchasing. Research shows that consumers form an opinion of a product within 90 seconds, and 70% of that decision is based on colour alone.

Haldiram’s redesigned its packs with stronger, sharper colours:

• Bright yellows and reds for spicy flavours
• Greens for minty or tangy variants
• Blues for lighter, salted lines
• Premium deep colours for nuts and dry snacks

This moved packs from “safe” colours to “craving-driven” colours.

5.3. Step 3: Modernizing the Brand Without Losing Its Soul

Some brands lose identity during redesign. Haldiram’s wanted the opposite. They kept the iconic logo, but they build a fresh design strategy around it. Nostalgia stayed. Relevance improved.

6. How the New Packaging Changed the Shelf Experience

The redesigned packs looked sharper, cleaner, and far more modern inside retail stores. Even store managers noticed the difference. In modern trade chains like Big Bazaar, Reliance Smart, and DMart, Haldiram’s new packs created stronger shelf blocking — a visual wall of bright, clean colours that pulled customers in.

Retail partners shared an interesting behaviour pattern: people picked the pack first, THEN checked the flavour. Earlier, they checked the flavour before picking the pack.

This shift matters. In FMCG psychology, pickup always increases conversion.

Haldiram’s wanted to understand How Packaging Redesign Increased a Brand’s Shelf Pickup Rate, and store data soon offered clear answers.

7. Real Numbers: How Much the Pickup Rate Actually Increased

Haldiram’s studied impact over 120 days across 400+ stores in India. The numbers were eye-opening:

• Pickup rate increased by 22% after redesign
• Shelf dwell time dropped from 9 seconds to 5.7 seconds
• Retailer restocking frequency increased by 18%
• New customers contributed to nearly 30% of additional sales

These weren’t small changes. These were signs that packaging redesign had reshaped consumer buying behavior in real time.

The redesign delivered exactly what the brand hoped for — easier recognition, stronger cues, faster decisions, and naturally, more conversions.

8. Why the New Packaging Worked So Well

The success didn’t happen by chance. It happened because the redesign addressed five big consumer needs:

8.1. Need for Visual Clarity

People wanted to find their flavour faster. The new design solved this instantly.

8.2. Need for Freshness Assurance

Modern design subconsciously signals quality.

8.3. Need for Premium Feel

In a competitive FMCG landscape, premium-looking packs get more attention.

8.4. Need for Brand Trust

Keeping the logo intact preserved loyalty.

8.5. Need for Lifestyle Relevance

Customers want packs they can carry, display, or share without hesitation.

This is exactly how packaging affects sales in India today.

9. What the Redesign Taught Haldiram’s About the Modern Indian Shopper

The redesign opened the brand’s eyes to new realities. Today’s Indian consumer:

• Reads less
• Looks more
• Acts faster
• Chooses confidently when design feels right

This shift pushed Haldiram’s to rethink product packaging strategies across categories. It also sparked new packaging ideas for upcoming product lines like ready-to-eat meals, healthier snack variants, and dry fruit mixes.

The brand learned that packaging is not decoration. Packaging is strategy. conversion. Packaging is the new front-facing salesperson.

10. How Social Media Reacted to the New Packaging

The interesting part? Instagram played a big role in amplifying the redesign’s success.

UGC videos, snack hauls, shelf tours, and creator content boosted visibility. Influencers posted “before-after” comparisons. Packaging became a talking point among modern Indian shoppers.

Platforms like Hobo.Video saw creators making unboxing-style content featuring Haldiram’s new packs. Many users searched “how to create UGC videos for brands” after seeing this surge. It showed how influencer marketing and UGC can support packaging-led campaigns.

This cross-channel amplification deepened what was happening on shelves.

11. The Hidden Power of Packaging in FMCG Conversion

Many brands still underestimate packaging. But Haldiram’s story proves that packaging redesign can:

• Improve shelf visibility
• Reduce decision fatigue
• Increase conversions
• Boost brand perception
• Increase unplanned purchases
• Help differentiate variants
• Create emotional connect

And most importantly, it proves How Packaging Redesign Increased a Brand’s Shelf Pickup Rate even in a crowded category like snacks.

12. How Haldiram’s Integrated Market Insights Into Design Strategy

The redesign wasn’t random creativity. It was grounded in consumer insights:

• People wanted relatable designs
• They preferred packs that feel premium but not intimidating
• They responded better to bold colours
• They trusted clear labelling more
• They loved flavours highlighted with visuals

The insights shaped everything — font choices, colour palette, layout, icon styling, and even the glossy/matte finish.

13. The Role of Shelf Psychology in Packaging Redesign

Shelf psychology plays a crucial role in FMCG pickup. Haldiram’s studied how shoppers:

• Move left to right
• Look at eye-level shelves
• Compare packs subconsciously
• React to colour faster than text

These insights helped boost pickup rate because the new packs spoke visually first, verbally later.

14. How the New Packaging Improved Conversion Improvement Metrics

Conversion improvement came from more than pickup. It came from:

• Reduced confusion between variants
• Better trust-building through modern design
• Stronger flavour recognisability
• Improved pack consistency across formats

Every small design tweak contributed to real numbers.

15. The Retailer’s Voice: Why Stores Loved the New Packaging

Retailers rarely comment on packaging, but this time they did.

Store managers noticed:

• Faster customer decisions
• Higher repeat purchases
• More curiosity from new buyers
• Better shelf alignment
• Easier restocking due to colour-coded design

This created a full ecosystem where packaging influenced both buyers and sellers.

16. How Haldiram’s Balanced Tradition and Modernity in the Packaging Redesign

One of the toughest tasks for any heritage FMCG brand is balancing nostalgia with novelty. Haldiram’s faced the same challenge. Indians relate emotionally to familiar packaging. It reminds them of childhood train journeys, hostel days, office breaks, and festival gatherings. At the same time, younger shoppers prefer sleek, modern visual identities.

So the brand decided to retain what made them trustworthy — the iconic red and yellow identity, the signature logo, and the flavour cues — but introduced a younger, cleaner system around it. This balance not only protected brand memory but also made the refreshed packs future-ready. This blend is one of the biggest reasons How Packaging Redesign Increased a Brand’s Shelf Pickup Rate becomes easy to explain. Consumers didn’t feel the brand changed — they felt the brand evolved.

17. How the New Packaging Strengthened Haldiram’s Position in the Competitive FMCG Market

Post redesign, Haldiram’s stood out strongly in organised retail. Competing snack brands often leaned heavily on vibrant visuals without a deeper design strategy. They looked loud, but not always meaningful. Haldiram’s used discipline.

The redesign included:

• Better spacing
• Unified brand architecture
• Logical flavour hierarchy
• A modern matte finish for premium variants
• More visible freshness messages

This structured system improved instant recognition. Customers connected emotionally and logically — a combination that drives conversion improvement in FMCG categories. With cleaner visibility, Haldiram’s regained leadership on shelves that were getting noisier every month.

18. The Role of Packaging Redesign in Omnichannel Retail

Today’s shopper doesn’t only buy from stores. They browse online, compare reviews, watchUGC videos, and discover products on influencer marketing platforms like Hobo.Video. Haldiram’s packaging redesign strengthened all channels by making the pack look photogenic, uniform, and easily identifiable even in small thumbnail sizes.

On e-commerce sites, modern packaging increases trust and reduces cart abandonment. On social media, clean packs encourage creators to feature them effortlessly. Many famous Instagram influencers shared light humor reels showing “the new Haldiram’s vibe,” which made the redesign trend organically.

This omnichannel reinforcement helped the brand bridge traditional retail with digital discovery — a powerful advantage in a crowded FMCG landscape.

19. The Impact of UGC and Influencer Marketing on Packaging-Led Growth

The rise ofAI influencer marketingand creator-led content changed how brands communicate packaging changes. Packaging is no longer just something consumers see in stores. It becomes part of everyday digital content — snack haul videos, taste-test reels, aesthetic pantry shots, and even “where to buy” guides created by top influencers in India.

Haldiram’s redesign aligned perfectly with this culture. Clean colours and crisp flavour visuals look stunning on camera. Creators posted dozens of UGC videos featuring the new packs. Many viewers searched, “what is the new Haldiram’s pack design” or “how to create UGC for snack brands,” boosting organic discovery.

This entire digital wave supported the core market objective and reinforced How Packaging Redesign Increased a Brand’s Shelf Pickup Rate both offline and online.

20. Why Packaging Is Now a Performance Driver, Not a Decoration

Modern FMCG brands view packaging as a growth tool. It’s not merely a wrapper; it’s a business asset. Packaging influences perception, desire, trust, and choice.

For Haldiram’s, packaging redesign wasn’t about beautification. It was a conversion-driven move. It contributed directly to sales growth, drove new acquisitions, increased repeat purchases, and differentiated the brand in cluttered retail environments. Packaging optimization played a bigger role than many brands acknowledge.

A pack that tells a clear story wins attention. And attention drives pickup. That’s precisely the heart of this case study.

21. Internal Learnings: What Haldiram’s Team Discovered During the Redesign

Every redesign teaches the brand something new. Haldiram’s teams discovered:

• Shoppers trust simple design more
• Younger audiences favour clean, modern fonts
• Packaging ideas must be tested in real store environments
• Even small colour shifts change buying decisions
• Shelf behaviour varies between metros and non-metros
• Packaging redesign can reset brand momentum

These learnings shaped their future innovation roadmap and helped future-proof multiple product lines.

22. Using Real Data to Understand Conversion Improvement

A key part of the redesign success came from data. Haldiram’s used three categories of insights:

1. Retail audits — to track shelf pickup and restocking patterns
2. Consumer interviews — to explore buying emotions
3. A/B testing — to identify the most effective designs

Data showed:

• Packs with simpler layouts delivered 14% higher recognition
• Bold flavour images improved variant identification speed
• Minimal text improved decision confidence

Every data point contributed to stronger packaging strategy — and directly proved How Packaging Redesign Increased a Brand’s Shelf Pickup Rate in measurable terms.

23. The Psychology Behind Faster Shelf Pickup

Shoppers rarely think consciously about packaging. But subconsciously, they react instantly to:

• Clarity
• Familiarity
• Colour
• Freshness cues
• Category codes

Haldiram’s redesigned packs tapped into all these triggers. When internal teams studied shelf reaction videos, they found that customers reached for the redesigned pack with far less hesitation. The brain processed the design faster, so the hand moved quicker. That simple behaviour shift created dramatic conversion improvement in a highly competitive FMCG category.

24. Key Elements of Product Packaging That Drove Success

The redesign gained success because of five strong pillars:

1. Simplicity

Clutter-free design reduced confusion.

2. Colour Coding

Each flavour got a memorable, energetic colour.

3. Emotional Connect

Heritage elements preserved trust.

4. Modern Aesthetics

Younger consumers responded to the premium feel.

5. Strategic Hierarchy

Clear visual hierarchy improved instant recognition.

This five-part system is now a reference point for many packaging redesign discussions in India.

25. How Haldiram’s Redesign Became a Case Study for Indian FMCG Brands

Today, the redesign is widely referenced in design conferences, marketing meetups, and academic discussions. Many professionals cite this as a prime example of:

• Using insights to modernise heritage brands
• Understanding shelf psychology
• Driving sales through visuals
• Connecting packaging redesign with brand story

Agencies often refer to this transformation as a “perfect blend of old and new”. Even emerging D2C brands study this redesign to improve their own packaging optimization strategies.

26. Steps FMCG Brands Can Learn From Haldiram’s Packaging Journey

Based on this entire case study, brands can follow a simple 5-step framework:

26.1: Research Deeply

Understand consumer buying behavior beyond surface-level questions.

26.2: Build a Design Strategy

Use insights to define structure, colour, layout, and tonality.

26.3: Test in Real Stores

Digital mockups don’t reflect real shelf conditions.

26.4: Refine Using Data

Use audits and heat maps to find confusing or weak areas.

26.5: Launch with Influencers and UGC

Let creators amplify the new identity with snack hauls and product shots.

This five-step process ensures packaging redesign leads to measurable pickup rate growth.

Conclusion: Key Learnings & Insights

1. Packaging drives instant impression, recall, and purchase intent.

2. Clean, bold, modern designs outperform cluttered visuals.

3. Good packaging increases shelf pickup, which increases sales.

4. Consumer buying behavior now prioritises clarity over tradition.

5. UGC videos and influencer marketing amplify packaging-led growth.

6. Market data must guide packaging optimization decisions.

7. Omnichannel consistency is essential for modern FMCG success.

8. Heritage brands benefit from modernisation without losing identity.

9. Haldiram’s redesign proves packaging is a business strategy.

10. A strong design strategy can reset brand momentum and growth.

This comprehensive case shows exactly How Packaging Redesign Increased a Brand’s Shelf Pickup Rate in one of India’s most competitive FMCG categories.

A Strong Closing Line + Call to Action

Packaging can change a brand’s destiny — just like it did for Haldiram’s. If your brand wants to launch a redesign, amplify visibility, or build a creator-driven packaging story, Hobo.Video is where your next chapter begins.
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About Hobo.Video

Hobo.Video is India’s leading AI-powered influencer marketing and UGC company. With over 2.25 million creators, it offers end-to-end campaign management designed for brand growth. The platform combines AI and human strategy for maximum ROI.

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• Influencer marketing
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