DOVE SHAMPOO PACKAGINGS
Dove's hair care range was introduced in 1998 in Europe and in 2003 in North
America. In India, Dove hair care range was launched in 2007. Within 15 months of
its launch, dove has become the fastest growing shampoo brand in the country.
Dove, a leading personal care brand by Unilever, has consistently tailored its
packaging strategy to meet market-specific needs, including affordability,
sustainability, and premium appeal.
Evolution of Packaging
Dove entered the Indian market in 1993 as a premium skincare brand. Initially, the
packaging reflected a premium, minimalist aesthetic targeted at urban and affluent
consumers.
Early Dove was sturddy packaging with soft color palettes which emphaszised on its
gentle and moisturising features. The targeted customers was mostly likely people
who were looking for solutions to issues like dryness and hair damage caused due to
it. Overtime, Dove introduced different variants of shampoos tailored to the Indian
market tailored to the Indian market, such as Dove Intense Repair, Dove Hairfall
Rescue and Dove Daily Shine, addressing specific hair concerns like damage,
hairfall and dullness.
Standard Bottle Packaging (Flip Cap)
Variants:
● Dove Intense Repair (for damaged hair)
● Dove Hair Fall Rescue (to address hair fall)
● Dove Daily Shine (for dull hair)
● Dove Dryness Care (for dry hair)
● Dove Oxygen Moisture (for fine, flat hair)
Design Elements:
● Each bottle is sleek and white, symbolizing Dove’s focus on gentleness and
purity.
● A splash of color (like gold, Violet, green, or blue) is used to differentiate
between variants.
● Flip-top caps make it user-friendly, allowing controlled dispensing.
● Compact bottles are designed for ease of storage in Indian households where
bathroom space can be limited.
● Dove's shampoo and conditioner bottles often feature a flip-top lid design,
which is both functional and user-friendly.
● The shampoo packaging for Dove Men+Care typically features a dark gray or
charcoal-colored bottle. The color scheme emphasizes a masculine, modern,
and professional look, differentiating it from the classic white Dove packaging
for unisex or women's products
Available in sizes ranging from small (80ml) to large (1L) to cater to a diverse
audience, including trial users and families.
Pump Dispenser Bottles
Pump dispenser bottles are available for some variants of the dove shampoo. These
type of package adds convenience, especially for households and salon.They are
designed to reduce wastage and are ideal for regular usage.
Sachet Packaging
Sachet account for almost 70% of shampoo sales in rural markets across India. To
penetrate the middle and lower income income segments, Dove has introduced
sachets which are priced affordably. This strategy made the brand accessible to rural
and price conscious urban customers which has significantly boosted sales and
reach. An estimate 6.6 billion sachets were produced by Uniliver. Dove alone in
2022, making up over 10% of the parent company’s total sachets sales. Uniliver is
selling 1700 single use plastic sachets every second. Dove's sachet packaging
strategy has sparked significant debate, particularly in light of the environmental
concerns raised by organizations like Greenpeace. But at the same time the brand
has leveraged sachet packaging to enhance its market reach, particularly in
price-sensitive regions. This strategy has allowed Dove to cater to a broader
audience, enabling consumers to access quality personal care products at
affordable prices. The introduction of sachets, which are sold at lower price points,
has facilitated trial usage among consumers who might be hesitant to invest in
full-sized products without prior experience. The environmental debate on sachet
package of Uniliver itself throws light on the boost of sales that happened due to the
introduction of sachet packaging.
Sustainability Centric Packaging (2019- Present )
Dove has made significant strides in sustainable packaging to address
environmental concerns and align with Unilever’s global sustainability goals.Dove
shampoo bottles globally are now made from 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR)
plastic. This reduces the reliance on virgin plastic, significantly lowering the brand’s
carbon footprint. Dove’s initiatives are part of Unilever’s pledge to cut virgin plastic
use by 50% by 2025, demonstrating the brand's proactive approach to sustainability.
Dove is contributing to a circular economy by designing its packaging to be reusable,
recyclable, or compostable. The brand is also investing in infrastructure for recycling
and working to ensure that plastic waste collected is reused efficiently. In India,
Dove's sachet packaging remains a popular product format. Despite sustainability
challenges, Unilever India is exploring biodegradable or recyclable options for
sachets to meet both consumer demand and environmental goals.
Dove continues to innovate in sustainable packaging, including expanding refillable
product lines and exploring advanced recycling technologies like chemical recycling.
As part of Unilever, the brand aims to help collect and process more plastic than it
sells by 2025.
Comparative Analysis of Packaging Formats
Key Strength Consumer Success Factor
Packaging Segment
Type
Sachets Affordability and Price sensitive Significant share of rural
Rural reach rural consumers shampoo market sales
(70%)
Standard Bottles Premium appeal Urban, middle Strong association with
class consumers quality and trust
Smaller Bottles Accesibility and Budget conscious Higher demand due to
Convenience and travelers flexibility and lower price
points
Recycled Bottles Sustainability Eco-counsious Boosts brand loyalty and
appeal consumers reduces plastic waste
Refillable Waste Reduction Environmetally Early adoption, appealing
packaging conscious to niche eco-conscious
segment buyers
References
Unilever under fire for selling billions of polluting plastic sachets - TheIndustry.beauty
Unilever sells 1.7k single-use plastic sachets every second
Unilever makes progress on its sustainable packaging goals | Unilever
https://packagingoftheworld.com/2023/06/dove-eco-shampoo-bottle-with-refill-pack.html
