The Clarity Tax

Jan 19

In CPG, the biggest cost is not “cheap design.” It’s confusion.

When your packaging can’t communicate what it is, who it’s for, and why it’s worth choosing fast enough, you start paying for it everywhere. Shelf velocity slows down. Amazon clicks drop. Ads have to work harder. Retail conversations get tougher. Repeat gets weaker.

That is the Clarity Tax.

Why clarity matters (shoppers move fast)

Most people aren’t standing in the aisle studying your brand. They’re scanning.

You’ll see Nielsen referenced a lot in CPG: people aren’t browsing, they’re choosing in about 13 seconds in-store and roughly 19 seconds online.

You’ll also hear it in real feedback like: “I didn’t realize it was ___.” “I thought it was ___.” “Wait, what is this again?”

That’s the Clarity Tax in real life. And it’s not just a vibe: a Paper and Packaging Board + Ipsos survey found about 7 in 10 shoppers say packaging design influences what they buy.

What the Clarity Tax looks like in real life

You feel it in sales first.

If the pack doesn’t read quickly, people hesitate. On shelf, they keep walking. Online, they scroll past. Your product might be great, but it never gets a fair shot because the packaging did a weak job at the first impression.

You feel it in trust.

Confusing packaging doesn’t feel “interesting.” It feels risky. When shoppers can’t understand something quickly, they default to simple conclusions: not for me, not credible, not worth it.

You feel it in momentum.

This part shows up later. A pack that isn’t built as a system turns every new flavor into a mini redesign. Then teams start “adding” to fix softness: one more badge, one more claim, one more callout. The front gets busier, but somehow it’s still not clearer.

Explorer Research (widely cited in packaging circles) describes a common mismatch: packaging has less than 2 seconds to capture your shopper’s attention.

Whether your exact number is 2 seconds or 5, the point is the same: you do not have time to explain.

“Cheap design” is not the price. It’s the outcome.

There are talented designers at every price point. The risk is when packaging is treated like a file instead of a decision system.

You can usually spot it when:

• the hierarchy is accidental, so the wrong thing becomes the headline

• the category cue isn’t obvious at shelf distance

• the SKU structure isn’t designed, so the lineup feels inconsistent

• it looks clean in a mockup, but breaks in shelf clutter and at thumbnail size

It’s not cheap. It’s unclear.

Why patching usually makes it worse

When performance feels soft, most brands add more. More claims. More callouts. More explanations. But if the issue is clarity, more usually creates noise, not confidence. Strong packaging doesn’t say everything. It makes the right things impossible to miss.

What “premium” actually buys

Not fancy. Not decoration.

It buys clarity and fewer expensive surprises:

• hierarchy that reads fast on shelf and at thumbnail size

• a clear category signal so shoppers place you instantly

• a SKU system that holds up as you grow

• consistency across packaging, Amazon, ads, and email

Consistency matters commercially. Marq (formerly Lucidpress) reports that companies with consistent branding san see up to 33% increase in revenue.

Quick founder checklist: does it read fast enough?

Before you print, pitch retail, or scale ads:

• Can someone tell what it is in 3 seconds?

• Does it still read at thumbnail size?