Tightly connected with the evolution of commerce and markets, the early forms of the packaging merely reflected how products were commercialised, as everything was purchased directly from the products themselves or their distributors. In this reduced product chain, there was no need for packaging to be anything more than containers-
simple jars, boxes or folding papers.

In the early decades of the Industrial Revolution, purchases continued to be carried out hand-to-hand, mainly in family stores which had practically all available products placed behind the counter. However, although the act of buying might still have been conducted personally, a store clerk couldn't possibly know all the information about the products that the actual supplies would know.

Due to this transition, the first forms of packaging imagery depicted mainly the information regarding to the product’s manufacturer: signature, portrait, or something that symbolises the person, such as the image of the factory. The packaging was used as a means of reminding consumers of “by whom” and “where” the food was made.

We can see this in the following examples: The Lambert & Butler’s Tobacco can (fig. 1) basically only carries the name of its makers. The medicinal carton from Kilmer & Co. (fig. 2) shows the portrait of the doctor himself (S. Andral Kilmer, M.D.).

The Libby, McNeill & Libby can of corned beef (fig. 3-4) displays the company's factory.

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