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Sainsbury’s Online Archive Of Packaging Designs Spanning Decades Is A Real Treat
By Mikelle Leow, 18 Oct 2018
‘Milk Chocolate Buttons’ packaging, 1973 to 1974

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
One of the best ways to learn about a culture is by having a taste of its food. Likewise, taking in the colors, fonts, and stylings of a certain time period can teach you a great deal about an era.
If you’ve been in the design sphere for awhile, you might be aware of a book by the Sainsbury’s Design Studio called Own Label, which has earned itself a cult following, and can sell upwards of US$3,000 on Amazon.
Thankfully, you won’t have to cough up a fortune to enjoy these gems. The Sainsbury Archive at the Museum of London Docklands has recently digitized the decades-old packaging designs of UK supermarket Sainbury’s for your viewing pleasure at zero cost.
Thus far, the collection comprises over 400 photographs and scans of packaging, which certainly offer more than enough for you to observe how design has evolved. There’s so much to unpack here.
Feast your eyes on the impeccable compositions, bold colors, and crisp typography of 16 products from the 50s to 80s.
For more inspiration, hop over to the Sainsbury Archive website, or follow its Twitter to jazz up your feed.
‘Canadian Cheddar Cheese Spread’ labels, 1960s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Starch Reduced Wheat Crispbread’ packaging, 1970s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Fresh Frozen Plaice Prime Fillets’ (8 oz net 3/-) packaging, 1964

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Fresh Frozen 6 Fish Sticks’ (16½p) packaging, 1970s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Ready Salted Potato Crisps’ (25g) packaging, 1980s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
Box of four eggs, 1953

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Whole Wheat Bisk’ (24 biscuits) packet, 1970s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Cola’ (11½ fl oz) proof of label, 1970

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Snax’ packaging, 1960s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Corn Flakes’ (8 oz, 1/3) packaging, 1970

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Jaffa Orange Juice’ (2/- 10p 6½oz 184g) proof of label, 1970

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Trifle Sponge Cakes’ (Eight for 9½p) packaging, 1971

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Jelly Creams Lemon Flavour’ packaging, 1960s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Dessert Wafers with Vanilla Filling’ packaging, 1960s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Chocolate Peppermint Creams’ packaging, 1970s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
Check out more delicious packaging designs over at the Sainsbury Archive.
[Images © Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands, featured with permission]

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
One of the best ways to learn about a culture is by having a taste of its food. Likewise, taking in the colors, fonts, and stylings of a certain time period can teach you a great deal about an era.
If you’ve been in the design sphere for awhile, you might be aware of a book by the Sainsbury’s Design Studio called Own Label, which has earned itself a cult following, and can sell upwards of US$3,000 on Amazon.
Thankfully, you won’t have to cough up a fortune to enjoy these gems. The Sainsbury Archive at the Museum of London Docklands has recently digitized the decades-old packaging designs of UK supermarket Sainbury’s for your viewing pleasure at zero cost.
Thus far, the collection comprises over 400 photographs and scans of packaging, which certainly offer more than enough for you to observe how design has evolved. There’s so much to unpack here.
Feast your eyes on the impeccable compositions, bold colors, and crisp typography of 16 products from the 50s to 80s.
For more inspiration, hop over to the Sainsbury Archive website, or follow its Twitter to jazz up your feed.
‘Canadian Cheddar Cheese Spread’ labels, 1960s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Starch Reduced Wheat Crispbread’ packaging, 1970s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Fresh Frozen Plaice Prime Fillets’ (8 oz net 3/-) packaging, 1964

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Fresh Frozen 6 Fish Sticks’ (16½p) packaging, 1970s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Ready Salted Potato Crisps’ (25g) packaging, 1980s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
Box of four eggs, 1953

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Whole Wheat Bisk’ (24 biscuits) packet, 1970s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Cola’ (11½ fl oz) proof of label, 1970

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Snax’ packaging, 1960s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Corn Flakes’ (8 oz, 1/3) packaging, 1970

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Jaffa Orange Juice’ (2/- 10p 6½oz 184g) proof of label, 1970

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Trifle Sponge Cakes’ (Eight for 9½p) packaging, 1971

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Jelly Creams Lemon Flavour’ packaging, 1960s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Dessert Wafers with Vanilla Filling’ packaging, 1960s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
‘Chocolate Peppermint Creams’ packaging, 1970s

© Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands
Check out more delicious packaging designs over at the Sainsbury Archive.
[Images © Sainsbury Archive, Museum of London Docklands, featured with permission]
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