Packaging Industry- Future Trends

21 January 2011- Packaging has taken a prominent place in the life of both- consumers and manufacturers of various products. And this is a no new trend as packaging industry has been identified as one of the most flourishing industries of recent times. What is new in the packaging trends is the shifting focus on innovative packaging designs, eco packaging, branding strategies and digital print packaging along with the ongoing trends of convenient and smart packaging! This article attempts to state some of the prime focuses of future packaging industry as well as challenges to be handled by the global packaging industry along with the emerging packaging markets of the world.

Packaging Industry Trends

The global packaging sales are estimated to reach $739.9 billion by 2014. The advances in technology are ensuring that both producers and consumers maximize their mutual benefits. The keywords for the future packaging industry will be packaging designs, eco packaging, packaging as marketing and branding strategies, digital label, smart packaging, sustainable packaging and use of nano technology in packaging!

Smart Packaging- Future Technology

There have been certain developments in the society which will give a boost to smart packaging techniques in future. For example, according to a research report by IDTechEX, the world market for organic electronics will increase from current US$ 1.2 billion to approximately US$ 48.2 billion over the next nine years. The base material for organic electronics packaging are conductive polymers which are printable and still thinner, lighter, more flexible and less costly than silicon chips.

In future, photovoltaic technology may be used on packaging which will serve the environmental goal of eliminating such products as batteries while creating a package that can store energy even as it sits on a store's shelf. Some other future smart packaging options would be printed RFID transponders, flexible displays, roll-up solar cells, one-way diagnostic devices, little gadgets, “smart” labels, OLED illumination on packaging, advertising surfaces or wallpapers for track & trace, product and brand protection.

Future Use of Nano Technology in Packaging

Another packaging trend in future is the use of nanotechnology in packaging, even for packaging products for daily needs. The term nano means one-billionth and indicates the incredibly small size of nanoparticles. Nano is currently the buzz word in many fields including packaging industry. By using nanocellulose, it is possible to make translucent paper and new super-strong packaging materials. At present, the process which is used to break up the cellulose into nanoparticles is expensive. However, in future, the ongoing researches may bring the price down which is why it is seen as a future trend of packaging industry.

Packaging Industry- Future Challenges

Like all other industries, packaging industry too is going to face many challenges in the future but the good news is that challenges will give way to innovations! So, what challenges will be there for the global packaging industry and what packaging solutions are expected to be seen?

Brand Piracy- Forgery in Packaging Design

Producers are continually making efforts for innovative packaging to keep them different from their competitors. However, the white collar crime of brand piracy is making their efforts zero. According to the industry experts, approximately 10% of global trade is affected by brand piracy through forgery in packaging designs. Counterfeited products can be seen in different forms- from parts in original quality at lower prices to criminally forged products in a poor quality but sold in original looking packaging. As a solution for this type of brand piracy, many safety concepts are offered by still recent packaging processes such as cold-foil transfer, which allows forgery-proofness to be increased in in-line printing just by packaging design. Many other exciting developments are expected in the near future.

Increased Expectations of Consumers about Packaging

Consumers now want such packaging which is able to keep products in good condition, clean and untouched by others- in other words hygienic. They want such food packaging which keeps the foodstuffs fresh and ready to be eaten. They also want longer shelf life, product security and ultimately value for their money. The packaging industry is ready to deal with these challenges through innovative packaging solutions. Smart packaging techniques are one of such attempts. For example, many producers are working towards introducing packaging which changes the color of labels as soon as the shelf-life ends or packaging units that can warn of salmonella with the help of detectors!

Future Packaging Markets

Looking at the increasing revenues, growth in the emerging markets and the trend of companies spending more on packaging, a bright future for packaging industry can be expected in the coming years. The most promising emerging markets seem to be India, China and Brazil due to the growth of food processing markets and other related industries like pharmaceuticals and automobiles there. The overall packaging sectors in China, India and Brazil are forecast to see expansion by the end of 2011. Among the developed countries, the USA, Singapore, Taiwan and Hong Kong are predicted to see maximum growth of packaging industry.

To conclude the discussion on future trends of packaging industry, it can be stated that most of the growth potential in the coming year is likely to be in the recyclable, biodegradable and smart packaging sectors. Considerable investment by buyers is likely to be in package design and/or branding and also on environmental, sustainable packaging.