Packaging

[Veronica]

Hello, I was wondering, is there a Spanish word for "packaging"?
Is it envoltura? I live in Argentina, and I know we are very prone to using english words.

[Jack]

Hi Verónica,

If you refer just to the packaging itself, as the material which covers and protect the product, it is a "envoltura", "envase", etc, etc.
Usually, "packaging" refers to the design of the outside packaging. i.e.: colors, size, shape, in order to captivate customers to your product meantime you protect the product itself. Besides, we are talking of the package that the customer can see and touch, and not about the secondary and tertiary packaging.

Cheers

Jack

[Veronica]

That's right, I refer to the design of the box, or bag or paper and the figures that illustrate it.

Packaging is a stage in the marketing of a product, since it needs to be appealing to target buyers, and also protect the product. Right? I don't think we have a spanish word for this process.

[Marlene]

It can be "(proceso de) empaque / embalaje / envasado", I prefer "empaque", but I've heard peple saying "packaging" (i.e. using the English term) - I used to work as an inhouse translator in a pharmaceutical laboratory and they all used the word packaging, even in contracts and legal documents-

Hope this helps!

[Veronica]

Thanks Marlene! That's what I suspected.
I also saw packaging used most of the times. Even in Spanish books.

[mirta]

Originally Posted by Marlene

It can be "(proceso de) empaque / embalaje / envasado", I prefer "empaque", but I've heard peple saying "packaging" (i.e. using the English term) - I used to work as an inhouse translator in a pharmaceutical laboratory and they all used the word packaging, even in contracts and legal documents-

Hope this helps!

Hi! I totally agree with you

[SandraT]

Even if people use packaging, we as translators should use the word that corresponds, be it embalaje, empaque, envoltura...if there is a word (or several in this case) in Spanish, why use the English one???

[gentle]

Packaging has become so important in marketing that it turned out to be one more P to the traditional "4 Ps" in the marketing literature (Product, Price, Place, Promotion). It is actually derived from the Product concept and it overemphasizes its importance in the product itself (it may also be associated to the Promotion topic). I admit I have seen the "4 Ps" translated as Producto, Precio, Plaza & Promoción; but I confess not to have seen any attempt to translate Packaging when used in this context. See you!