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

‘Cola’ (11½ fl oz) proof of label, 1970

© 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]

Advertise here

Also check out these recent news

Technology

Sainsbury’s Online Archive Of Packaging Designs Spanning Decades Is A Real Treat

Canon’s AI Cameras Only Let Employees Into Offices If They Look Happy

LG Quits Designing Smartphones, Now Hopes To Sell iPhones Instead

Life-Size ‘Elephants’ Roam Through London To Send A Massive Conservation Message

Unilever Unveils Recyclable Toothpaste Tubes To Come Clean With The Environment

Thinx Upsizes Affordable Period Underwear, Meticulously Tested On Diverse Bodies