CBD Package Design and Labeling Tips

SmashBrand has been fortunate enough to work with leading brands in the CBD industry. Undoubtedly, this industry will continue to grow and the trends show it is a great time to be in the CBD market. However, now that the CBD industry has matured, there is competition on every corner. Your CBD packaging now requires an intensive packaging design process, as found with other established CPG categories.

Industry experts expect the legal cannabis market to reach $57 billion by 2027. With so much money to be had, companies of all kinds are hoping to capitalize on this trend. Cannabidiol (CBD) products are becoming mainstream, with hemp-based CBD products now legal in all 50 states.

But just because a product is legal, doesn’t mean that it is not under constant scrutiny. Tread lightly on how you market your CBD product on its packaging and with its messaging. CBD package design isn’t just a matter of aesthetics; it’s a matter of legal compliance.

CBD products fit neatly into the “not quite a medicine, not quite a supplement” niche. There is plenty of confusion about what’s required from companies in their CBD package design.

CBD Packaging Design Considerations

Confusion is the problem. Since we derive CBD from marijuana (which is still illegal at the federal level), the government is scrutinizing companies that sell products even REMOTELY related to cannabis. Where a non-consumable hemp product might get away with having a marijuana leaf on its label, CBD products need to stick with more subliminal cannabis references.

Companies selling CBD products need to be cautious about what they say in their packaging. Careful consideration is both for the sake of customers and to avoid getting slapped down by federal regulators looking to send a message to the weed industry. With legal marijuana tentatively taking hold in the west, countries around the world are watching to see regulators handle the CBD market. For companies interested in getting in on the action, there’s a lot at stake.

Let’s walk through the basics of what you’ll need to include in your CBD packaging design .

Is CBD a Food or Supplement?

One of the first determinants of your CBD packaging design is whether the FDA considers the product a food or supplement. This might sound like a straightforward question to answer, but it’s not so simple in practice.

CBD products come in all varieties: oils, gels, edibles, drinks, and capsules, just to name a few. Of course, there’s some confusion about what makes up a “supplement” these days. Oil is a type of food, so isn’t CBD-infused oil considered a food product?

Not necessarily. In fact, the FDA has been frustratingly silent on how CBD products should structure their labels to comply with federal regulation. Companies need to play it safe and be extra compliant.

Depending on what your specific CBD product is, you’ll either need to use an FDA-approved supplement label or food label for your product packaging.

Packaging for the CBD Retailer

An industry that started in smoke shops and CBD stores is now available in almost every large and boutique retailer. Once moving past regulatory compliance, your CBD product needs to be built for the retailer (s) selling to your target market. Premium CBD products that are sold in CBD stores speak to a different audience than the discount CBD product found in CVS.

With CBD becoming more mainstream, there is an increasing demand for CBD companies to uphold standards. It shouldn’t surprise you to find that grocers and specialty stores are looking for retail packaging purchase drivers such as sustainable packaging on the products they sell.

Custom Product Packaging Options for CBD Products

CBD oil packaging design is not as simple as when it started. You have a lot of options with the product packaging and your CBD labels. Below, we will look at 4 different oral CBD product categories that impact your packaging strategy.

CBD Tincture Packaging

CBD oils are the most common form of cannabidiol in the market. The problem is that little room is available for marketing on this type of CBD label. Tincture oil products need custom printed CBD boxes, allowing room for both regulatory requirements and purchase drivers.

Piggy backing off of essential oil packaging ideas, many CBD brands choose window boxes for their CBD oil packaging. However, having an additional front of box space for messaging may test out to be more effective. At SmashBrand, we test clear display boxes against closed tincture boxes to see which custom printed CBD boxes lead to greater purchase intent.

Packaging For CBD Gummies

Gummies are taking over the world of supplements and many brands find that, compared to tinctures, offering CBD gummies makes the experience of consuming CBD oil more enjoyable. From a marketability standpoint, we can sell CBD gummies without being placed in custom printed boxes if we so choose.

However, never assume that secondary packaging will not help a product perform. You can further your creative packaging design and make your messaging easier to read by having your product sit in a straight edged box.

CBD Powder Packaging

With an ever expanding ability to convert oils into dry powders, some CBD products are choosing to create CBD powders. The application of these CBD products can sell as a standalone or placed into fitness and wellness supplements. Favorability is the primary benefit to CBD powders, so there is an enhanced ability to market pleasure along with pain relief.

While many CBD powders use mass produced container packaging, more unique packaging solutions are available. If you choose to go with a stock container, consider some innovations in labels for jars so that your packaging stands out from the competition.

Packaging For CBD Capsules

Last but not least are CBD capsules. Above all else, we build this form of consumable CBD for convenience. Sure, there is also the ability to hide nasty tasting compounds into the capsule, but primarily, people who purchase capsules want to get the process over with. So while unique product packaging for the other CBD products might show off science, experience, and pleasure, CBD capsules should express that the product works and isn’t a hassle.

Some brands have attempted to use custom CBD Boxes such as the pillow box. While this may look unique, don’t it will increase sales. In fact, it may be a product placement nightmare for the retailer, causing them to hide your product in a tucked away location.

But a packaging box may prove beneficial for CBD capsules, especially if they are small bottles. A custom CBD packaging box leaves more space for branding and signals to consumers why your product is the right choice.

CBD Packaging Elements

Once defining your product in the eyes of the FDA and decided on product packaging, you can move onto the more concrete elements for your CBD package design:

1. Identity statement: This tells shoppers what exactly the product is. For example, “dietary supplement”, “hemp extract”, “herbal supplement”, etc.
2. Net quantity of contents statement: Like most products, sellers must identify the number/volume of the product; “60 capsules” or “12 ounces.”
3. Ingredient statement: Listing CBD ingredients is like what you’d find on a nutrition label. Manufacturers must list every ingredient in their product, in descending order, based on which components are most prevalent in the product.
4. Responsibility statement: This details the name of your business, your location, where you manufacture the product, and the testing that is performed.
5. Nutrition statement: Many products will require a “nutrition label” or “supplement label” that outlines any information not listed above.

Of course, you’ll also need to highlight the amount/potency of the active CBD ingredients in your product. For example, list the total amount of hemp extract oil in each serving or provide a rundown of every individual cannabinoid included in the product.

State-Specific Regulations For CBD Packaging

Note that different states have specific labeling regulations for these types of products. CBD packaging requirements for California will differ from that of Texas.

For example, the state of Indiana passed a law last year requiring CBD packaging design to feature QR codes that direct users to detailed rundowns of each product. This list includes its batch number, ingredients, expiration date, and information about its independent lab analysis.

While CBD manufacturers should have plenty of advance notice for these issues, remember these regulations are changing fast across the country. Even if your packaging is compliant this year, it could change next year, so make sure you keep up-to-date with local regulations.

A Warning About Highlighting CBD

Naturally, you’ll need to mention CBD in your packaging, but be careful about highlighting it too heavily in your design without additional supporting information.

If you simply splash “CBD” across the front of your packaging, consumers passing by won’t know exactly what you’re selling. They may assume that you’re selling a CBD isolate, when in fact, you’re selling a full-spectrum cannabinoid product. This issue comes back to simplicity and accuracy in labeling. CBD products have plenty of medical uses, and it’s important that consumers know what they’re getting when they buy.

Designing a Package Around Changing Regulations

It’s an exciting time for the cannabis industry, and there’s no telling what the future will hold. Companies that sell CBD products are setting standards that are being scrutinized across the industry-and today’s best practices may be tomorrow’s regulations. If you’re selling CBD products, play it safe and do plenty of research on your packaging requirements. When in doubt, follow the FDA’s guidelines for food and supplement labeling.

Doing so helps keep you off the federal government’s radar-but equally important, it establishes your CBD brand as a company that’s professional enough to sell cannabis-derived products responsibly.

CBD Packaging Design Agency

Do you want a CBD design that performs? Through our proprietary testing process, we test many CBD packages and bottles in a simulated buying environment, against your real life competitors, to determine the best product packaging design. The result is a CBD packaging design that increases purchase intent and brand recall.

From your CBD logo design to the printing process, we handle CBD design from start to finish. Our team of CBD packaging specialists works closely with your team and CBD packaging companies, ensuring a smooth process for everyone involved.

Book a time to discuss your project with our team.