PMMI to release in-depth report on beverage packaging

IN 2015, the North American beverage packaging industry will be worth $26.3 billion. Of this, plastic accounts for above 40% of the bottling market.  Aluminium cans, which lost in soft drink sales, bounced back in other categories. For example, manufacturers of energy drinks said that their customers prefer the drinks in cans. In microbrewery, on the other hand, the use of cans reduces material and shipping costs, and maintains the quality of the beer since light does not affect the brew.

Flexible beverage packaging, particularly the pouch, has experienced sluggish growth for several reasons. One is that the pouch is perceived to have less content that it actually has. Furthernore, for manufacturers, there is a challenge to put across a premium image in a container that is also widely used in other consumer products. The issue of recyclability always comes up with this type of container as well. However, sales may also improve as customer demand for juices in pouches to pick up in the future.

These and other developments in the industry are available in the report “Beverage Packaging — An Industry Assessment,” prepared by the PMMI. According to interviewees in this report, packaging is still a major means of communicating brand values to consumers.  It also features like packaging size and dimension ratios, products that improve the drinking experience, colours, images and graphics, as well as resealability.

The report to be released in September 2014, will be helpful to manufacturers interested not only in beverage packaging products but in information on the supply chain, government regulation and other issues in the industry. PMMI members will be able to get a free copy whilst non-members may obtain this in-depth report US$3,500.

The PMMI, Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, brings together buyers and sellers in the packaging and processing industries, to events including the PACK EXPO, which this year is scheduled from 2-5 November at McCormick Place, Chicago.

Related report: ISBT experts at PACK EXPO beverage lounge