Where is the packaging industry heading?

AS the fast-growing packaging sector expands and changes, the industry must adapt to an increasing number of constraints and its future depends on the development of both recycling and valorisations.

“Packaging Trends: The future of manufacturing”, a white paper presented by The French Packaging and Processing Machinery Trade Association (GEPPIA), offers a wide range of perspectives through insights shared by executives and experts from the consumer goods, retail, packaging and processing industries.

All agree that a few fundamental trends are shaping Western companies: reducing the environmental footprint, avoiding food waste, protecting consumers, economising raw materials and optimising used materials: “providing added value at the lowest cost”. However, the role of packaging is also to help sell, attracting consumers by creating meaning and a relationship. For some companies, there is a desire to “premiumise”. Packaging is also being created to adapt to specific target populations, such as seniors.

Intelligent packaging, designed to be “economical, ecological and connected”, is a major avenue of development that is moving towards interactivity with clients. Specially adapted packaging can also play an important role in the fight against counterfeiting. Paradoxically, this increasingly sophisticated packaging shares the spotlight with a retro cardboard trend.

Concerning processing equipment, industry specialists aim to improve ergonomics and develop intelligent man-machine interfaces, as well as focus on flexibility to respond to growing client demands. As one professional says: “We must invent simpler, easy to clean, ergonomic and reliable machines.”