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Over the last few years, new technologies have impacted the packaging world. More organisations are opting for more cost-effective solutions as well as trying to get ahead of their competitors by using new innovations.cans waiting to be wrapped in polyolefin shrink film

Packaging has changed drastically over the last ten years, and this is due to many organisations becoming more aware of what their customers require from their products. One example is that consumers are choosing healthier options when it comes to food, so supermarkets have expanded their fresh fruit and vegetable aisles to accommodate this, therefore giving their customers what they require.

In a previous post, we spoke about the history of packaging and how it has changed since the early days of mankind, but what about the future of packaging? Packaging is one thing which we will always require, whether it is when we are buying food or ordering something online. With new rules and regulations and such a push on environmentally-friendly, it is hard to see what the future holds for the packaging industry.

Online

In recent years, online shopping has become the preferred way for consumers to shop, and this has reflected in the packaging industry. Product protection is an essential part of an organisation’s promise to its consumers, and throughout the years, businesses have adapted their packaging to meet the needs of their consumers.

Those who shop online regularly expect their goods to arrive in a fit for purpose state and prefer the packaging to be easy to open. Once, many goods were sent in oversized cardboard boxes, however, in the present time, we see goods delivered in smaller bags.

Packaging Design

The design of a product’s packaging has never been more important. It can say more about a brand than the product inside – on issues ranging from the environment to the way the company sources ingredients.

A recent survey revealed that the Coke bottle was the most recognisable pieces of packaging in the UK, followed by the Toblerone box, the Marmite jar and the Pringles tube.

Michael Grass of AD Communications said:

“Innovative design alone cannot grant packaging iconic status – it needs to be ingrained to some extent in a culture’s subconscious.

“Once that happens, it becomes nigh impossible to dissociate it from our collective memories.”

With this being said, we always recognise the brands we know well and can often be deterred when a brand changes its packaging as it feels unfamiliar. In recent years, brands have been changing their packaging to make sure they are keeping their customers happy.

Food

Packaged fresh meat, fish and poultry consumption is forecast to grow at a faster rate than unpackaged produce to 2020, primarily due to the fact that large supermarkets and consumers search for food with a longer shelf life.

The use of active packaging is also expected to increase in popularity due to its ability to keep products fresher for longer, both in store and the consumer’s home. Polyolefin shrink film is often used within the food industry to extend the shelf life of products and keep them fresher for longer, and we can expect the shrink wrap industry to continue to grow.

The Key Packaging Trends for the Future:

  • Reduction in packaging materials – thinner, stronger design, lighter, simpler.
  • Packaging closer to manufacturing – less empty cartons carried in lorries.
  • Better recycling – easier recycling of packaging, higher percentage recycled materials in new packaging.
  • Biodegradable packaging – e.g. plastics made from starch, more use of cardboard.
  • Space-saving packaging – e.g. growth of square cartons for drinks.
  • Customer Returns packaging – improvement in re-seal pouches to keep pace with the huge growth of online ordering of, for example, clothes where customers often order several sizes to try on butreturn most goods ordered.
  • Better ways to print branding/marketing on plastics e.g. bottles.
  • Less use of solvent-based inks for printing.
  • Consolidation of packaging industry – economies of scale with larger machines, faster turnarounds, next-generation technology.

What’s Next?

With packaging designs changing each year it can be hard to keep up with the trends. However, it is important that you choose a packaging solution which is right for your business and product while bearing your consumers in mind. Here at Kempner, we can assist you in finding the right shrink wrap packaging for your organisation.