CPG Marketing: Strategies, Challenges, and Examples for 2026

CPG marketing is how consumer packaged goods brands promote everyday products like snacks, shampoo, and cleaning supplies to drive repeat purchases and growth. Shoppers now move between stores, apps, and social feeds, and the package itself has become a digital touchpoint.

That spread creates a real problem. When touchpoints split across channels, devices, and formats, it’s hard to tell which ones drive sales, so budgets end up based on guesswork. The brands that connect those touchpoints can see what’s working and invest with confidence. This article shows you how to do the same.

Key takeaways

• CPG marketing promotes everyday products people buy often, so winning repeat purchases matters more than winning a single sale.
• Connected packaging turns each product into a direct channel, letting your brand share product details and capture first-party data through QR Codes.
• GS1 Sunrise 2027 marks the retail industry’s move toward scanning 2D barcodes at checkout, so you can plan packaging updates now.
• Store brands reached a record $282.8 billion in US sales in 2025, which raises the bar for national brand loyalty.
• Track scans, clicks, conversions, and repeat purchases by channel to see which CPG marketing tactics drive sales.

What is CPG marketing?

CPG marketing promotes consumer packaged goods like food, beverages, and personal care products that people buy often and use up quickly. It covers branding, packaging, retail placement, digital campaigns, and promotions. The goal is repeat purchases, because shoppers can switch brands at the shelf with little cost or effort.

CPG spans four main categories: food and beverage, household goods, personal care, and beauty. Household goods include cleaning supplies and paper products, while personal care covers items like toothpaste and deodorant. Each category competes for attention on store shelves and e-commerce sites alike.

CPG and fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) marketing describe nearly the same work, while retail marketing promotes the store itself. Here’s how the three terms compare.

CPG vs. FMCG vs. retail marketing

Term	What it covers	Who leads it	Example
CPG marketing	Promoting packaged products people buy and replace often	Manufacturers and brands	A cereal brand’s packaging and social campaign
FMCG marketing	A near-synonym for CPG, stressing fast turnover and low prices; common outside the US	Manufacturers and brands	A soft drink launch in a new market
Retail marketing	Promoting a store, its assortment, and its shopping experience	Retailers	A grocery chain’s weekly app deals

Why is CPG marketing important?

CPG marketing matters because shoppers can switch brands easily, so every purchase is a new decision. A shopper who picks your granola this week can pick a store brand next week with no penalty. Three factors raise the stakes.

The first is competition for attention. US CPG advertisers will spend nearly $59 billion on ads in 2026, according to an EMARKETER forecast from May. A brand without a clear strategy competes against that spend with less to show for it.

The second is trust. According to the NIQ 2026 Consumer Outlook, 95% of consumers say trust is critical when choosing a brand. It’s a global figure.

The third is consistency. Shoppers build trust when product information stays clear and consistent on the pack, online, and in-store. Mismatched claims across channels give them a reason to try a competitor.

CPG marketing challenges and solutions

CPG brands face four main marketing challenges: A complex buyer’s journey, rising demand for transparency, private label (store brand) growth, and limited first-party data. The table below summarizes each one and its solution.

Challenge	Impact	Solution
Complex buyer’s journey	Shoppers research and buy across stores, apps, and social	Consistent, trackable touchpoints across every channel
Demand for transparency	Shoppers want proof behind product claims	QR Codes and 2D Barcodes that link to verified product details
Private label growth	Store brands gain share from national brands	Loyalty offers and post-purchase engagement
Limited first-party data	Retailers own most transaction data	Packaging QR Codes that capture scan data

Complexity in the buyer’s journey

CPG shoppers now move between in-store and online purchases, often for the same product. A shopper might discover a snack on social media, read reviews on a phone, and buy it on a retailer’s app.

NIQ’s 2026 Consumer Outlook found that online purchase occasions rose 16% while US in-store occasions fell 2.3% per buyer per year. Brands also expect to sell more through their own channels. In an August 2025 PwC report, executives expect self-enabled direct-to-consumer (DTC) sales to grow from 10% to 15% of revenue by 2030.

Retail remains the dominant channel, so DTC adds a path to purchase rather than replacing stores.

Solution: Use Bitly Links and QR Codes with UTM parameters, which are tags that show where traffic comes from. That way, every channel feeds one view in Bitly Analytics. When each ad, post, and package carries its own link or code, you can easily compare channels side by side.

Rising demand for transparency

Shoppers want verifiable product details before they buy, from ingredients to sourcing. According to GS1 US, 77% of consumers say product information is important when making a purchase. The same report explains that 79% are more likely to buy products with a scannable QR Code that offers more information. That figure reflects stated intent.

The Consumer Brands Association 2026 report on digital disclosure and smart packaging examines the same shopper demand for transparency. It also explores how smart packaging helps CPG brands share more product information.

Vague claims weaken shopper trust. An “eco-friendly” label without proof can read as greenwashing and mislead people about your company’s environmental impact.

Checkout technology is changing too. GS1 US describes Sunrise 2027 as a milestone for retail checkout systems to scan 2D barcodes. Those systems also read the traditional Universal Product Code (UPC) barcodes on packs today. It’s an industry milestone, not a requirement, and it gives brands time to plan packaging updates.

Brands can prepare with 2D Barcodes that carry GTINs, the product numbers checkout systems scan. Pair them with GS1 Digital Link, a standard that lets one code serve both the register and a shopper’s phone.

Solution: Link packaging QR Codes to sourcing, ingredient, and sustainability details that back up every claim. Learn how QR Codes for sustainability can help your brand show the proof behind its practices.

Weaker brand loyalty and private label growth

Private label brands are gaining share, increasing competition for national brands at every price point. US store brands reached a record $282.8 billion in sales in 2025, according to PLMA.

The same PLMA report shows store-brand dollar share rising from 19.1% in 2021 to 21.3% in 2025. In 2025, store-brand dollar sales grew 3.3%, compared with 1.2% for national brands. That shift makes loyalty offers more important for national brands.

Solution: Offer loyalty programs, exclusive coupons for loyal customers, or contests, and use QR Codes to deliver them. Add QR Code coupons to products or in-store banners so shoppers can redeem discounts at checkout with one scan. These are just a few of the ways you can drive repeat CPG sales.

Limited first-party data

Most CPG brands sell through retailers, so retailers own the transaction data. Brands often can’t see who bought, where, or why.

That gap grows as brands invest in DTC channels, which depend on customer insight. Without their own data, brands struggle to personalize offers or measure what drives a second purchase.

Solution: Put QR Codes on packs and inserts, then use Bitly Analytics to see scans by location, device, and date. Each scan shows where and when shoppers engage, and a sign-up page can turn that interest into a lasting customer relationship.

CPG marketing strategies that work in 2026

The strongest CPG marketing strategies connect packaging, retail, and digital channels so brands can measure each one. For a wider view of where the market is heading, see our roundup of CPG trends.

Connected packaging and QR Codes

Connected packaging uses a QR Code or 2D Barcode to link a physical product to digital content. It turns the package into a channel you own, available every time a shopper picks up the product. Learn more in our guide to connected packaging and our post on QR Codes for product packaging.

Use Dynamic QR Codes so you can update destinations after printing without reprinting packs. The same code on a cereal box can lead to a recipe in spring and a back-to-school offer in fall.

Point scans to mobile-friendly destinations built with Bitly Pages, like recipes, ingredient details, or reorder pages. Then follow these packaging best practices:

• Add a clear CTA, like “Scan for recipes,” so shoppers know what they’ll get.
• Print the code large enough to scan, with strong contrast against the background.
• Place the code where shoppers look, like the front panel or near the opening.

Sugar Wood uses this approach to reach customers after they buy:

“We use a QR Code on our packaging to send customers to a page on our site. We are now able to track and, in some cases, market to those customers,” says CEO Austin Allan in a verified customer review

Retail media and in-store marketing

Retail media lets CPG brands reach shoppers on retailer sites and apps near the moment of purchase. US retail media ad spend will reach $71.09 billion in 2026, up 17.8% from $60.32 billion in 2025, according to the December 2025 EMARKETER forecast.

Pair retail media with in-store signage and shelf talkers (small signs attached to store shelves) that carry trackable QR Codes. Then compare online ad results with in-aisle engagement in one dashboard.

Social, influencer, and user-generated content

Social and creator content shows products in real use, building trust before shoppers reach the shelf. Influencer partnerships, user-generated content, and short-form video let shoppers see how a product looks, tastes, or performs. Reposted customer photos and reviews add proof from real buyers.

Give each creator a unique Bitly Link so you can compare results by influencer. The data shows which partners drive clicks and which content formats deserve more budget.

Loyalty programs and promotions

Loyalty offers give shoppers a reason to choose the same brand again. Digital coupons, rewards points, and refill or subscription offers all reward the next purchase.

Add QR Codes to packs that lead to rewards sign-up or the next offer. That way, the package itself starts the repeat cycle. Find more ideas in our guide to QR Codes for CPG brands.

Omnichannel campaigns

Omnichannel campaigns give shoppers one consistent message across packs, stores, social, and email. Use one tracking setup across every channel, with the same UTM naming and link structure, so results stay comparable. Our guide to QR Codes for omnichannel marketing shows how to connect print and digital touchpoints.

How to measure CPG marketing

Bitly Analytics shows scans, clicks, and conversions in one view. Pair it with retailer sales data to track these core metrics:

• Scans and clicks by channel, tracked with Bitly Links and QR Codes.
• Conversions from each campaign link or code.
• Repeat purchase rate across loyalty and reorder offers.
• Retail velocity, or units sold per store per week.

CPG marketing examples

These Bitly customers use QR Codes to connect packaging and retail moments to measurable action. Each example shows a different way to turn a scan into a relationship.

Daily Harvest

• What they did: Added QR Codes to freezer door clings across Kroger stores in the US. The brand donates $5 to regenerative farming for every scan.
• How they measure it: The team reviews scan data by location to spot top stores and stores that haven’t put up the clings.
• Why it works: The scan ties an in-store moment to a cause shoppers care about, and each scan is measurable.
• Learn more: Read the Daily Harvest customer story.

Daily Harvest’s retail launch introduced the brand to new shoppers. The QR Code clings let those shoppers learn about the brand’s values right in the aisle.

Curology

• What they did: Added QR Code inserts to 200,000 subscription boxes with a unique referral link for each subscriber.
• Also: Uses QR Codes on packaging and inserts so customers can add products to their subscriptions.
• Why it works: Packaging becomes a referral and upsell channel the brand controls and can track.
• Learn more: Read the Curology customer story.

Curology’s referral program gives a friend $20 toward non-prescription essentials and gives the subscriber $20 in return. The QR Code insert puts that offer in the box when a customer opens a product they chose.

Build a CPG marketing strategy that connects every package

CPG marketing works best when every package, shelf, and post leads shoppers to a clear next step. Start with transparency, give shoppers a reason to return, and use QR Codes to turn packaging into a measurable channel. With Bitly Codes, Bitly Pages, and Bitly Analytics, you can see which scans and clicks drive results and do more of what works.

Explore the Bitly CPG solution, and see how we provide the perfect toolset for expanding your digital reach into the physical world.

Link your marketing. Get started with Bitly today and turn your packaging into your most measurable channel.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does CPG mean in marketing?

CPG stands for consumer packaged goods. In marketing, it refers to promoting everyday products like food, drinks, and personal care items that people buy often and use up quickly.

What is the difference between CPG and FMCG?

CPG and FMCG describe nearly the same products. FMCG, or fast-moving consumer goods, stresses quick turnover and low prices and is more common outside the US.

What are the 4 Ps of CPG marketing?

The four Ps are product, price, place, and promotion. CPG brands apply them to packaging and formulation, pricing against store brands, retail and online distribution, and campaigns.

What is an example of CPG marketing?

Daily Harvest added QR Codes to freezer door clings in Kroger stores across the US. For every scan, the brand donates $5 to regenerative farming. Read the Daily Harvest story.

How do CPG brands use QR Codes on packaging?

CPG brands use QR Codes to share ingredient and sourcing details, offer coupons, drive reorders, and collect first-party data. Dynamic QR Codes let brands update the destination without reprinting packs.

What is GS1 Sunrise 2027 and how does it affect CPG brands?

GS1 US describes Sunrise 2027 as a milestone for retail checkout systems to scan 2D barcodes. It isn’t a mandate. Brands can prepare by adding 2D barcodes that carry the GTIN and use GS1 Digital Link.

How do you measure CPG marketing success?

Track scans and clicks by channel, campaign conversions, repeat purchase rate, and retail velocity. Unique links and QR Codes for each channel make results easy to compare in one dashboard.