Bright Brand and Packaging Futures
We are a multi-disciplined brand and packaging consultancy working with global brands and retailers to deliver innovative, sustainable and measurable solutions.
Sun Strategy: We draw upon our expertise in four key areas: Consumer, Sustainability, Efficiency and Compliance to provide a unique service offering tailored to your goals.
We provide innovative and responsible recommendations to help you achieve your packaging targets.
Together we create strategies to transform the value of your business and measure customer success.
Expertise
Featured insights
Top 10 leaders in sustainability
When we think of sustainability we all think differently, from plastic contamination or recycling and recycled content or reuse and green energy right through to commercial sustainability. All are valid and thankfully there are brands out there facing into this need and doing some really great things for their customers and the planet.
Buying for convenience
There’s a huge opportunity for brands and retailers to tap into the growing demand for quality, service, innovation and value, when and how consumers want it. In this whitepaper we highlight nine key trends around the changes in consumer behaviour and provide recommendations on how to leverage their future demands.
Sustainability, don't stand still...
Is plastic packaging your friend or foe? Making sustainable decisions that will retain your customers and attract new ones? Sustainability is high on every agenda and a great opportunity for brands and retailers to make a difference to the planet and your bottom line. Your customers want change, don’t stand still, so act now.
Buying into Betterment
These days health is a hot topic and a growing concern. We’re all living longer and yet our waistlines are expanding, with over 27% of the UK population classed as overweight. In the US the figure is a whopping 39%. Consumers are more aware of their own personal health, becoming amateur health experts and they’re not willing to compromise.
News & views
Goodfella’s welcomes new members to The Family, created by Sun Strategy
Posted in: Work
Goodfella’s turned to agency Sun Strategy to explore how their brand proposition could look, feel and behave in a new category - frozen ready meals – and deliver the biggest new product launch in the brand’s history. A brand built on family values, authentic traditions, and great tasting food - all overseen by the Godmother, the guardian of Goodfella’s.
Reducing spend on marketing to cut costs is a short-term solution
Posted in: Work
Kevin McAulay shares how Sun Strategy’s new-generation intelligent technology supports the growth of his clients and significantly increases their operational performance.
Tech Transformation - Increase performance and spark growth
Posted in: Work
Kevin McAulay shares how Sun Strategy’s new-generation intelligent technology supports the growth of his clients and significantly increases their operational performance.
An investigation into F1 through a sustainability lens
Posted in: Work
Simon explores what the sport is doing to improve their environmental and sustainability credentials and which areas could be further improved?
Intelligent Artwork Automation Implementation
Posted in: Work
Lisa Skinner shares her experience of the ground breaking Intelligent Artwork Automation tool: e-volve.
Out-dated Systems are costing you time & money
Posted in: Work
Kevin explains how here are ways to help take the pressure off and as packaging experts we’ve been busy helping our clients improve their speed to market and save money on their packaging.
Go Green for the Queen
Posted in: Work
As we approach the bank holiday weekend, some of us will be celebrating 70 years of Her Majesty’s reign while others will simply be enjoying an extra day off work. Either way, British weather permitting, I’m sure we’ll all enjoy extra family time either at a street party celebration or a picnic.
New! HFSS guidance relating to advertising and promotion of food & drink
Posted in: Work
Alison provides the answers now issued in the new guidance relating to advertising and promotion of food and drink High in Fat, Sugar and Salt.
HFSS Advertising
Posted in: Work
Rebecca explores the new rules and challenges for advertising and promoting food and drink High in Fat, Sugar and Salt.
Vegan Pet Food Trend: Can cats and dogs really go meat-free?
Posted in: Work
Feeding your dog or cat a vegan diet is extremely divisive. Vegans believe that it is better for the planet and does your pet no harm, but the counter argument is that dogs and cats are meat-eaters and that restricting their diet to fit with a vegan philosophy is tantamount to abuse.
An investigation into English football and the environment
Posted in: Work
An investigation into English football and the environment
UK EPR Delay: Time to Prepare?
Posted in: Work
With the UK Government recently confirming a delay to highly anticipated EPR reforms, what does this mean for brands and retailers, is it a welcome respite from higher taxes or extra time to better prepare?
An investigation into palm oil
Posted in: Work
We have all been made aware of environmental issues associated with the use of palm oil. Let’s explore the reasons behind the negativity and investigate what is being done to try and rectify the problem.
Dairy Insight: Plant versus Cow
Posted in: Work
Sustainability Communication, where is the grass greener? Over the past couple of years, the huge growth in plant-based foods and dairy-free products in the UK has led us to believe that these are better both nutritionally and environmentally.
Dairy Insight: The grass is (getting) greener
Posted in: Work
Our supermarket shelves have changed hugely over the last few years - none more significantly than in the dairy sector. Which ironically, is now also home to non-dairy products.
Scotland’s DRS Delayed to 2023
Posted in: Work
In the wake of COP26, we were all expecting a raft of new national commitments and policies in line with key deals such as the deforestation deal and the inception of the Global Plastics Policy Centre. What we weren’t expecting was any kind of ‘blip’ or a temporary loss of momentum.
Out of stocks in retail giants such as H&M, Costa and McDonald’s exposes the cracks in ‘lean’ supply chain thinking.
Posted in: Work
Over the last few decades, Globalisation has driven big business to expand supply chains across disparate continents, relying Just-In-Time thinking to squeeze maximum efficiencies out the of value chain but the Global disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic has exposed cracks in ‘lean’ supply chain thinking.
How Nike showed resilience in the face of unprecedented Global supply chain disruption
Posted in: Work
The pandemic has driven home the necessity of managing operational and supply chain risk. Companies are having to accept that planning for disruption and subsequent losses is critical to help them make better decisions about how to invest in supply chain stability.
Are warnings of empty shelves this Christmas at leading retailers simply to encourage shoppers to buy early?
Posted in: Work
The Covid-19 pandemic has already changed the way many of us shop. There has been a massive up-tick in ecommerce, click & collect and home delivery services. As demand ‘sky rockets’ in the run-up to Christmas, how are retailers dealing with more unpredictable shopping behaviour?
John Lewis promises to 'save' Christmas
Posted in: Work
The Christmas holiday period accounts for a large chunk of toy company sales and leading toy companies are desperate to see supply, staff and skills shortages addressed in the run-up to Christmas. A worldwide shortage of materials, factory downtime, a huge rise in the cost of shipping, cargo backlogs, a shortage of HGV drivers, energy price hikes and local staffing problems are causing huge disruption to supply chains.
COP26 Week 1: Key Outputs
Posted in: Work
The world’s eyes have all been on Glasgow this week, waiting expectantly (or, in some cases, sceptically) for the first news of COP26, and it’s safe to say there has been no shortage of news!
COP26: Deforestation pledge
Posted in: Work
What effect will the COP26 Deforestation deal have on the future supply of paper and cardboard within the packaging industry?
COP26: Global Hot Topic
Posted in: Work
Unless you’ve been on total media blackout for the past few months, I’m sure we are all aware of the global hot topic at the moment: COP26.
M-commerce could be your greatest growth opportunity, what are you doing to meet the needs of online shoppers?
Posted in: Work
E-commerce spending was already on the rise before 2020 but across the globe the pandemic has compressed 10 years-worth of growth into an unprecedented 2 year peak.
Me to We: What’s next for confectionery?
Posted in: Work
During Covid, consumers became more in touch with their emotions and prioritised their mental wellbeing and snacks are an integral part of the narrative around self-care. With spending on travel and other activities down, there is more room in many budgets for premiumised snack options that provide an opportunity to ‘treat yourself’.
Shilpi Chhotray – keep fighting the fight
Posted in: Work
Gillian acknowledges Shilpi Chhotray as a ‘sustainability pioneer’ for amplifying the requirement for a future free from plastic pollution and creating a brand based on the same principles.
Frictionless Integration
Posted in: Work
For retailers and FMCG brand owners, as is the case with pretty much any business that you may come across; to bring a product or service to life there is normally a plethora of different people and processes needed. The result of this of course is also an abundance of IT systems to support them.
The benefits of right size packaging
Posted in: Work
Packaging that is designed to fit perfectly for a product must also allow the correct amount of space to protect it, to ensure it arrives at the end of its journey un-damaged.
IKEA – from flatpack to fearless pioneer
Posted in: Work
IKEA, world renowned for its affordable, flatpack home furnishing, is also leading the way with sustainability. With ambitious 2030 targets to become a circular and climate positive business, IKEA has lots of ideas up its sleeves.
Dame Ellen MacArthur – Making waves
Posted in: Work
Next in the Sustainability Pioneers series, Gillian acknowledges Dame Ellen MacArthur who has inspired a whole generation to rethink, redesign and build a positive future.
Who Gives a Crap - improving the world one wipe at a time
Posted in: Work
Next in our Sustainability Pioneers series Gillian, a converted subscriber of Who Give a Crap, applauds them for thinking differently, being willing to take risks and push boundaries.
Captain Charles Moore – discoverer of the Great Pacific Garbage Patch
Posted in: Work
Gillian acknowledges Captain Charles Moore as an ‘ultimate pioneer’ for discovering the ‘Great Pacific Garbage Patch’ and bravely opening our eyes to the devastation we are creating with our waste.
After moving one step closer, are retailers and brands prepared to face one of the strictest EPR models in the UK?
Posted in: Work
The second consultation on the planned UK EPR scheme concluded last Friday June 4th, taking us one step closer, to a reformed EPR model in the UK.
Green Toys - Planet and play at its heart
Posted in: Work
Green Toys is a California-based toy manufacturer that first launched its environmentally responsible range of toys in 2008. Although the toys are plastic, they are made from 100% recycled materials with US-based manufacturing. Green Toys say that “every day is Earth Day”, it undoubtedly delivers a commitment to sustainability and playfulness as part of its DNA.
Freya Williams – Green is the new black
Posted in: Work
I’m sure everyone has heard the famous Henry Ford quote, “you can have any colour, as long as it’s black”, well maybe ‘green’ is the new black. That’s certainly something Freya Williams is passionate about and I happen to agree.
Divine: chocolate like no other!
Posted in: Work
You may recognise Divine by its beautiful, decorative wrappers, its organic range or for its Fairtrade certification. But did you know it is the only chocolate company that gives its profits back to the farmers that grow the cocoa beans?
Airbnb; democratizing the travel industry
Posted in: Work
Like other disruptors before them, Airbnb has caused ripples around the globe, especially in large cities with a well-established hotel industry.
Apple; a true game changer
Posted in: Work
The introduction of a truly game-changing product or service will have a huge impact on its industry. Some companies make disruption their aim, with step-change technology and marketing marrying to produce mind-blowing product launches that take the world by storm.
Celebrating Sir David Attenborough
Posted in: Work
As one of our greatest influencers and pioneers of our natural world approaches his 95th birthday on the 8th May, I would like to commend this great man on the influence he has had on my life and the packaging industry.
Netflix; big bang’ disruption
Posted in: Work
‘Big bang’ disruption differs from normal disruption in that the start-up offers an innovation that’s not only cheaper, but better — higher quality, more convenient, or both — almost straight away.
The future of remote working
Posted in: Work
The past year has seen much upheaval in the workplace and has been strange for all, but especially challenging for some employees. For those of us lucky enough to have the opportunity, our homes have become our offices. We have converted spare rooms, dining tables, bedrooms and sheds into our workspaces and sometimes even into classrooms.
Amazon; the ultimate disruptor
Posted in: Work
Retailers can no longer rely solely on conceptual brand values like reputation, heritage and goodwill. The rules are changing.
World Earth Day 2021
Posted in: Work
If ever there was a time for reflection, it’s now. In a year where we have lived (and continue to live) through a deadly global pandemic, devastating wildfires across several continents and one of the most brutal hurricane seasons, we all need a reason to be positive. The theme of World Earth Day 2021 is ‘Restore Our Earth’ and thankfully at its heart is optimism.
Dominos; transforming a fast food business for the digital age
Posted in: Work
Regional, country specific legislative changes are complex enough however take a moment to appreciate the pain global brands and retailers face.
Packaging Legislation – bureaucracy or solution?
Posted in: Work
Regional, country specific legislative changes are complex enough however take a moment to appreciate the pain global brands and retailers face.
Male Veganism; understanding the social, cultural and psychological factors behind gender and food
Posted in: Work
Is there a vegan revolution underway? There’s been an explosion of interest in vegan products and lifestyles over the last few years and whilst there’s definitely a gender bias towards female vegans the divide is shrinking.
The Rise of the Virtual Business
Posted in: Work
It’s not just retail that needs to embrace the new digital world, it is also businesses.
E-commerce: Not just a nice to have but a necessity, is this the end of bricks & mortar businesses?
Posted in: Work
I think it’s fair to say that Covid 19 is affecting all of our lives as we learn to cope with the challenges of social distancing, home schooling and working from home whilst the pandemic devastation unfolds around us directly effecting many lives.
Coming to terms with COVID-19
Posted in: Work
Our Group Commercial Director Greg Lawson shares his thoughts on COVID-19 and how it's affecting the world we live and work in. Greg has 30 years of packaging expeience under his belt and has significantly influenced the packaging market in terms developing IT systems and strategies for the environmental impact of packaging across global supply chains.
Value versus consequence
Posted in: Work
We were privileged to be invited to The Grocer Breakfast Briefing on Packaging Sustainability held in The Gherkin with magnificent views over London. Although the view was definitely a topic of conversation over breakfast, the main topic of sustainable packaging was the reason we had all come together.
Nutrition and health claims – misleading consumers?
Posted in: Work
The purpose of food labelling is to help consumers make appropriate food choices. Labelling undeniably has a contribution to make in addressing how consumers choose foods to ensure their diet is healthy.
Sustainable beauty
Posted in: Work
There’re literally thousands of health and beauty brands out there and so many of them revolve around cleaning your skin and hair. The industry has been scrutinised in the past for not having the best record when it comes to sustainability, with an excess of non-recylable plastic packaging being one of the biggest issues.
Mother's Ruin
Posted in: Work
This year’s NPD (New Product Development) Food and Drink Conference provided insights into the latest consumer, shopper, health, packaging, retailer & market trends.
Festivals going green
Posted in: Work
It’s not just retail that needs to embrace the new digital world, it is also businesses.
Preserving our blue planet
Posted in: Work
There is no doubt on the damage that packaging is doing to our oceans and marine life, and that this should not be shied away from.
Banging the drum on sustainability
Posted in: Work
There are some consumers who want to live ‘plastic-free’ lives and there are retailers who aim to provide ‘plastic-free’ products, but is this possible? And more importantly, is this the most sustainable solution for our planet?
An insight into the convenience market
Posted in: Work
Pressed for time, spoilt for choice and always wanting more; today’s consumers’ demand for convenience in every area of their lives presents a huge challenge for brands and retailers. We designed this infographic to give a bit of an overview as to what trends we're seeing in the convenience sector today.