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August 14th, 2025

The Holistic Health Shopper: The designs giving wellness shelf appeal 

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Consumers don’t just eat with their mouths anymorethey eat with their eyes, their lifestyle goals, and their TikTok/Instagram feeds.

As functional eating reshapes the food and drink industry, wellness-driven packaging is evolving to reflect a new generation of performance-oriented products. 

Packaging that performs 

Today’s Holistic Health Shoppers are primed to look for cues that signal performance and lifestyle benefits- especially when it comes to wellness. That means packaging is no longer just about standing out on a shelf; it’s about fitting seamlessly into the routines of purpose-driven eaters. Everything needs to work a little harder.  

As we know, the Holistic Health Shopper is looking for more from their food: more functional ingredients like protein, probiotics, and Omega-3s. But it’s not just about the features; it’s about the benefits they deliver: increased muscle mass, improved gut health, stronger nails, and enhanced mental clarity. The packaging needs to reflect that shift instantly. It’s all about finding the quickest way to communicate these benefits to the Holistic Health Shopper, depending on exactly what they’re seeking from the specific product.

Decoding the New Semiotics of Health 

Performance packaging today uses a specific language – a blend of colour, typography, and iconography that helps consumers instantly recognise added value. But this is a step up from the usual health claims:

The Holistic Shopper does and dones of food packaging, the dones are don'ts's that have been done already

This is just a snippet of what today’s shelf appeal looks like – design that bridges the gap between everyday food and wellness tools, while striking a balance between confident brand identity and product payoff. 

With this in mind, our team had a little fun creating a Golley Slater special product, specifically targeted to The Holistic Health Shopper. Challenging a category that seems to be lacking performance and function incentive – condiments. 

Functional Condiments: The Unexpected Wellness Hero 

While other aisles have already embraced the performance revolution, condiments are just catching up. While major brands dominate this category with cupboard staples, istantly recognisable by design and flavour payoff, there’s an opportunity up for grabs which will sing to The Holistic Health Shoppers. Condiments accompany both snacks and meals as taste enhancers, but what if they doubled down as micro-doses of nutrition and function? 

Functional condiments could become delivery systems for everything from protein and fibre to adaptogens like Lion’s Mane and stress-busting magnesium. This represents a shift from reductionism (low fat! no sugar!) to fortification, a nuance that somewhat defines the rise in The Holistic Health Shopper. Wellness is no longer about restriction – it’s about intelligent addition. 

Source ‘Flavour that fuels’ 

Source food packaging that speaks to The Holistic Shopper, following the does
Source food packaging that speaks to The Holistic Shopper, following the does

The packaging of Source reflects its mission. Bold design that doesn’t compromise brand identity yet immediately speaks to The Holistic Health Shopper who is looking for organic condiments, from the source 

  • At first glance of the iconography, consumers understand that this condiment is targeted to those who are active and require fuel for the demands of their body and lifestyle.  

  • While organic foods can often become expected, in the condiments category, this factor sets the product apart for The Holistic Health Shopper. 

  • No label scouring necessary. Health benefits and nutrients are displayed clearly with the addition of a QR code which provides in-depth information on all ingredient components to increase transparency. 

Designing for The Holistic Health Shopper  

The future of functional food lies in packaging that bridges science and flavour. Whether it’s a parent scanning for iron and vitamin D or a Gen Z buyer influenced by gut-health TikToks, the design must communicate value at a glance. 

Performance foods aren’t just eaten – they’re chosen, trusted, and displayed. So the semiotics of health must be clear, credible, and culturally resonant. 

More on Typologies:

Our next piece will look at the use of AI down supermarket aisles and how this will particularly effect and cater to The Holistic Health Shopper.