2020 saw many brands having to make huge changes. None more so than FMCG brands. Perhaps the hardest hit were the impulse ‘on the go’ brand categories such as confectionery, crisps and drinks because people simply weren’t out and about as much.
Everyone was looking for something simple and reassuring, and cash prizes delivered exactly that. They were easy to understand and felt like a safe bet in a period when nothing else felt predictable.
Six years on, cash is still doing a lot of heavy lifting, but the reasons behind its success have shifted. Shopper behaviour has evolved, and regulations have tightened, so brands have had to rethink how they engage with their customers. We now live in a market that’s more engaged with on-pack promotions, more value-driven, and more demanding than ever.
So how did the pandemic affect on-pack promotions?
For any fellow marketers who work in Sales Promotion, you might (or is it just me!) enjoy a good stroll down the aisles on the hunt for the latest on-pack offers, and although it wasn’t possible to do this as much during the pandemic, I noticed the common theme for on-pack promotion prizes was cash!
With restrictions in place, brands opted to steer clear of the more typical promotional offerings. Prizes like holidays, cinema tickets, festivals and experiences were out and largely replaced with cash offers – it was the safest bet after all
What were the best on-pack offers in 2021?
There were some great cash promotions running, including:
- Uncle Ben’s Lucky Red Envelope: 189 cash prizes, including 4 £1,000 cash prizes up for grabs
- KitKat Break From Bills: £50 an hour giveaway plus chance to win £10,000 with 8 lucky bars
- Nescafé’s Win a Salary promotion: 1 of 3 £30,000 salaries for a year to be won)
- Maltesers Bunnies Promotion: 1 of 69 cash prizes, ranging from £50 to £1,000, plus an exclusive in Co-op with a top prize of £10,000
Brands needed to identify and create topical and relevant on-pack offers that resonated with their consumers, helping to build brand advocacy and ultimately drive sales.
One certainty during this period was that brands were spoilt for choice when it came to partnering with movies. The latter end of 2021 and beyond saw an abundance of delayed tent-pole releases, including:
There had never been a better time to find the right film to partner with for your next on-pack promotion.
Cash still works, but for different reasons
Whilst cash offers were a great short-term solution, in 2021, cash was a comfort blanket. Today, it’s a relevance-play.
With the cost of living heavily (and increasingly) shaping day-to-day decisions, cash on-pack promotions feel more engaging, practical, and useful in a way that big, glossy prizes sometimes don’t.
According to Mando’s latest report, money-off promotions remain the most appealing mechanic in the UK, with 61% of adults saying they like them. Cashback follows closely at 44%. It’s no surprise that simple, value-led mechanics continue to dominate participation, too.
Instant win formats have also become smoother thanks to better digital verification tools. Retailers like them because they reliably drive volume. Shoppers like them because they feel fair and immediate. But expectations have changed, and people want transparency. Only 11% of Brits think they have a good chance of winning, and just 4% say they’ve always felt lucky. That’s a challenge for brands, but also an opportunity. Clearer odds, more winners, and better communication can make a huge difference in engaging more consumers in on-pack promotions.
It just needs a story around it
Experiences are back, but they’ve evolved
When travel and events were off the table, experiences naturally fell away. Thankfully, they’ve returned, but not in the same form. The huge, once-in-a-lifetime trips have given way to smaller, more personal rewards. As we discussed earlier, experience-based prizes, brand-owned events, and hybrid digital-physical prizes are performing far better than the old “win a holiday of your dreams” approach. That’s not to say the latter has lost its appeal; very few would turn down a trip of a lifetime after all.
Gen Z in particular responds well to rewards that feel connected to their interests, whether that’s gaming, music, fashion or creativity. The key is cultural fit, not scale – a reward doesn’t need to be enormous to be effective, it just needs to feel relevant.
In 2026, HFSS changed the rules for good
In 2020, HFSS was something brands were preparing for. Now it’s simply part of the operating environment and has forced brands to rethink how much they can say on-pack, how they use space and how they move the promotional story into digital channels.
One win from five years ago was clearly the resurgence of the QR codes – they have become the mainstay between the physical pack and the wider promotional world. Always-on reward platforms are becoming more common too, especially for brands that want to build loyalty without relying on heavy on-pack messaging. Some brands are also partnering with non-HFSS categories to create cross-category value, creating a smart workaround that keeps promotions visible without breaking the rules.
Brits are more engaged than ever with on-pack promotions
One of the most striking shifts since 2021 is just how many people now take part in and engage in on-pack promotions. Three-quarters of British adults now participate, up from 66% in 2021. And 86% find promotions appealing – a huge base of people who are open to being influenced, nudged or rewarded.
Participation is rising across every demographic. Women participate slightly more than men. Higher income groups participate more than lower income groups. Even the 55+ audience, once considered harder to engage, has jumped from 54% participation in 2021 to 77% in 2025.
This all leads to the idea that promotions are no longer niche; they’re mainstream behaviour.
What motivates people to take part
The top motivators haven’t changed, but they’ve strengthened.
A third of Brits take part because they like getting a good deal. Another third enjoys getting something for nothing. Thirty per cent say they have nothing to lose, which shows how deeply promotions have become a trained habit. And 30% are motivated by the rewards themselves. Excitement plays a role too, with 19% saying they take part because promotions are fun.
This is the sweet spot: value, reward and excitement. Get all three right, and participation follows. We saw this very true in our highly successful Kärcher campaign that won many awards in recognition of this promotional trifactor, as well as the ability to tie the product satisfaction with the promotional experience.
What stops people from taking part?
The barriers are the mirror image of the motivators, but the good news is that they’re shrinking. Seven out of eight barriers have dropped since 2023. The biggest blockers are effort, low perceived chances of winning and the belief that “I never win anything”. These are solvable problems. Simpler mechanics, instant gratification and more visible winners all help.
What’s coming next
Looking ahead, there are three predictions that we think are worth watching.
- Personalised prizing will grow as brands use data to tailor rewards.
- Retailer media is exploding, but on-pack isn’t going anywhere. It’s still one place where a brand has total and complete control. As the media gets noisier and shoppers get increasingly fatigued with messaging burnout, that kind of guaranteed visibility becomes even more precious.
- Utility-based rewards increase as subscriptions, vouchers, and discounts are provided to reduce everyday costs.
The future of on-pack isn’t just about prizes. It’s about value, relevance/reward, excitement and connection. Get in touch with our team to start a conversation about how your brand can show up where it actually matters.