E-commerce is a large part of today’s shopping habits and a growing market. Drinks are typically challenging to sell in e-commerce and direct-to-consumer (D2C) business models due to the heavy weight of the product and risk of spillage. Many drinks businesses, particularly start-ups, sell drinks via e-commerce but the packaging is often not designed specifically for this. This leads to the packaging either being excessive to protect the product or not well enough designed to protect the product.
The Brief
We want you to design a bespoke solution for drinks to be sold via e-commerce. The primary packaging could be one of our current formats (PET bottle, glass bottle, aluminium can, beverage carton) or you can come up with something new. This packaging needs to be able to survive delivery to the customer which could be via a courier or via postal services. Consider some of the off-the-shelf e-commerce packaging options.
Think about ways to make the experience engaging for the consumer – how can this e-commerce packaging be more satisfying or exciting than what’s already out there.
- The packaging should protect the product, avoiding damage and spills.
- Consumers may order multiple different products. How will the packaging accommodate this?
- Consumers should be able to open the pack easily without any tools.
- How can you make your design as sustainable as possible?
- E-commerce packages are often packed by hand. How can you make this as quick and easy as possible or bring in elements of automation.
- How will you ensure the package can be delivered easily – think about letterbox and parcel locker dimensions.
Any material which is able to perform the required functions can be used. It is critical that all materials must be recyclable and widely recycled in the UK. Ensure the materials selected are sustainable.
If using multiple different materials, they must be easily separated for recycling.
Materials samples are available upon request.
Entry Guidelines
Entries must include uploads of the developments boards
The 4 A3 development boards uploaded as a single PDF document should include the following:
- Research board
- Design exploration board
- Net of recommended design solution.
Development boards must not show the entrant’s name or university/college.
- The project names submitted at the time of entry will be printed as typed, if there are any errors and certificates/trophies need replacing, then the entrant will be liable for these costs.
- If you are not able to attend the ceremony in person or the ceremony becomes virtual, certificates and trophies will be sent by post to the entrants to the mailing address listed in the entry in early July 2026.
- Please make sure you have access to the mailing address past term times. If you are unsure, please enter your home address.
- IOM3 is unable to issue replacements for certificates/trophies sent to wrong addresses.
- The entry fee is £20 per entry.
- You will be invoiced for the entry payment once you have submitted your entry. If you have indicated that your college/university is paying for your entry, please ignore the invoice directed at you as another invoice will be sent directly to your college/university.
- The invoice will be received by Monday 30 March 2026 at the very latest and the deadline for payment is Friday1 May 2026. If your invoice is not paid, your entry will not be shortlisted for judging.
About the Entry
Brief B Judges
Prize
Winner: A selection of Carlsberg Britvic products plus a visit to the UK’s state of the art manufacturing site in Rugby to see a range of products and formats being produced.
IOM3 presents trophies to Gold, Silver and Bronze and certificates to Highly Commended entries.
About the sponsor
Carlsberg Britvic is the home of many of the UK's most iconic brands across soft drinks, beer and cider, formed through the merging of Carlsberg UK with Britvic Soft Drinks Ltd. We own many leading brands such as Carlsberg, 1664, Brooklyn, Robinsons and Tango as well as having an exclusive license with PepsiCo to produce brands such as Pepsi, 7Up, Rockstar Energy and Lipton Iced Tea.