Own Label: Sainsbury’s Design Studio: 1962 – 1977

 A new expanded edition of this must-have book for all graphic designers

In 1962, when Peter Dixon joined the Sainsbury’s Design Studio, a remarkable revolution in packaging design began. The supermarket was developing its distinctive range of Own Label products, and Dixon’s designs for the line were revolutionary: simple, stripped down, creative, and completely different from what had gone before. Their striking modernity pushed the boundaries, reflecting a period full of optimism. They also helped build Sainsbury’s into a brand giant, the first real ‘Super’ market of the time. This book examines and celebrates this paradigm shift that redefined packaging design, and led to the creation of some of the most original packaging ever seen.

Produced in collaboration with the Sainsbury family and The Sainsbury Archive, the book reveals an astonishing and exhaustive body of work. A unique insight into what and how we ate, the packaging is presented using both scanned original flat packets and photographic records made at the time by the design team.

An essential book for graphic designers and those interested in the culture of consumerism, these designs remain fresh and relevant today. This feast of nostalgia taps into the fond memories of a generation brought up on these beautifully packaged goods.

Table of Contents

Foreword by Jonny Trunk • Essay by Emily King, including interviews with Peter Dixon
of the Sainsbury’s Design Studio, and Lord John Sainsbury (who was directly involved
with the development of the Own Label range) • Images: exhaustive flat-pack and
three dimensional images of packaging from the Sainsbury Design Studio from 1962-
1977. Also includes exterior and interior images of stores from this period.