Necessity Is the Mother of Invention: Shortages Propel a New Idea in Paint

There has been some amount of paint shortage over the past year…not only from the supply end from outbreaks slowing production that we’ve come to expect and even build into assumptions in recent months, but also the kinks from the February winter storm in Texas that slowed production of key supplies. Additionally, the boom in pandemic-era home renovations – and painting has been a popular DIY activity – raised demand at the same time.

What has been one of the big losses? Paint sample cans. Companies would rather be able to supply enough for customers’ projects, but classic paint chips are not enough for many customers and particular interior designers to select the right color.

The solution was the rapid adoption of what had been a niche option: peel-and-stick paint samples. In some locations, quart sample options were either not available or customers were at least being actively directed toward the peel-and-stick option as most major paint suppliers had arrangements with Samplize. While people tend to have a preference for the way they’ve always done things, these peel-and-stick options had benefits too:

• Ecofriendly: less waste as customers receive a 12”x12” swatch rather than a whole small can
• Convenient: they are repositionable (so you can test it in more than one place/no wall damage) and easy to use (no paint mess/clean up, already in 2 coats without waiting to dry) 

For more information and discussion of opportunities, see The Freedonia Group’s extensive collection of off-the-shelf research, particularly in the Construction and Building Products and Consumer Goods areas, particularly titles such as Global Architectural Paint and Global Paint & Coatings. Freedonia Custom Research is also available for questions requiring tailored market intelligence.