What if we had binoculars that could look into the near future?
By looking at new technological advances, global packaging trends, and market growth forecasts, we can get an idea of the future of packaging technology.
This article covers everything from sustainable design to manufacturing to operations.
Remodelling of Packaging Industry
We all know the bottles, bags, and cardboard boxes, but the future could be redefining the classics we grew up with.
With increasing consumer demands will come increasing demand for ease of use.
Modern convenience requires innovative improvements and technological advances that open up new avenues of opportunity for businesses.
Dissolvable Packaging
Edible packaging is a fascinating and unique option that can reduce dependence on fossil fuels. It can substantially reduce our society’s carbon footprint, which is precisely what consumers are looking for today.
Using raw materials from natural sources provides an excellent opportunity to offer the food industry a wide range of options in terms of color, design, and more.
Plus, it provides an experience beyond the packaging and how they will consume it!
The food packaging sector is believed to be expanding at a rate of 7.68% between 2016 and 2024. This new approach to combating plastics could become more commonplace sooner than we imagine!
Reducing waste doesn’t just apply to the food and drink sector; it also includes household items.
We have seen an enormous increase in water-soluble containers for laundry and dishwashing detergents. It is becoming more accepted and popular as time goes on.
In addition, corn starch-based packaging is growing more in the food and beverage sectors.
Takeout bag containers and cornstarch cutlery are getting more attention in many industries, especially fast food.
From the customer’s perspective, this will appear to be an attractive option given the growing and environmentally conscious consumer.
Space-saving packaging
Storing and transporting large quantities of packaging can be considered more environmentally unfriendly as planes, boats, and trucks carry packages to warehouses for storage and eventually end up in landfills when the stock is not sold. They can get their hands on packaging for products they don’t see a need for.
In particular, the food and beverage packaging industry throw away a lot of food and beverage packaging.
Ditch the bottle design we’ve come to know and be in awe of.
We are looking for rectangular or square packaging options for storage and stacking.
It’s not the most exciting new design feature, as we’ve been using rectangular or square beverage packaging for a long time.
Canned drinks also contribute to sustainability, as the use of plastic in manufacturing canned drinks drops drastically, leaving aluminum and paper to do the job.
Smart Packaging
Also known as innovative packaging, smart packaging is seeing tremendous growth in the world of packaging today.
From a consumer perspective, innovative packaging can offer many benefits, such as enhanced packaging experiences, visually appealing images, product protection and preservation, security, authentication, and connectivity.
For companies and brands, the world of communication is evolving.
With the ability to track consumer behaviors more effectively, this type of packaging can provide an experience specific to your target market, allowing businesses to respond more effectively to customer demands.
Although innovative packaging does not offer new designs to the classics we have, it can change the function and capabilities of packaging, allowing the industry to discover new possibilities.
Packaging Sustainability
Sustainability beyond packaging and goods is an ongoing trend across all industries. Consumers are increasingly looking for greener shopping, and this trend is becoming more accepted as time goes on.
Although green alternatives are less accessible, consumer purchase of green products appears to be on the rise.
According to a survey, one in three consumers prefer green alternatives, and 37% of respondents would buy an item that is more sustainable than other less expensive items.
More companies are taking responsibility for protecting the environment, as well as savvy customers who expect a more excellent standard of environmental responsibility; sustainability has become a key focus in the packaging industry.
Current trends focus on reducing box space waste efficiency, a smaller carbon footprint, and recycling.
What exactly does the future bring? A sector that could receive a boost from compostable packaging.
In simpler terms, the decision to invest in green packaging today has positive results for companies around the world.
We have seen and expanded by introducing many new green packaging options.
It’s safe to say that the packaging’s durability could soon become the norm, replacing plastic packaging.
E-commerce Business
COVID-19 has suddenly engulfed everyday life. It deprived everyone of in-store experiences, services, and events.
Without the convenience of a brick-and-mortar store or opportunities for service businesses during the lockdown, online shopping is the most popular method of shopping today.
Although e-commerce has been considered a top priority in business, the reliance on online shopping has increased the importance of e-commerce at the top.
The pandemic has been a terrifying time for all people around the world. But, online businesses have received a lot of interest because of it.
Brick and mortar could remain dominant in the market; however, due to the widespread pandemic and heavy reliance on online platforms to find jobs and shopping opportunities, online shopping may take over.
The e-commerce shopping experience is becoming increasingly personalized to the consumer’s needs, making it possible for brands to fulfill their market by incorporating things like packaging.
We’ve already standardized targeted ads using algorithms and online customer behavior. We could be looking at a highly personalized online shopping experience.
This opens up a wide range of possibilities for the packaging industry to adapt its products to a greater degree, mainly due to the increased innovative packaging.
Corrugated Boxes
The future of all things corrugated is promising.
This vast growth will likely be due to increased disposable income and sophisticated consumers looking for quality in box packaging.
The growing demand for more sustainable initiatives has increased corrugated packaging applications, and lower prices will gain significantly for corrugated packaging.
Corrugated material is durable, economical, efficient, and recyclable.
3D Printing Technology
The emergence of additive manufacturing has caught our attention in recent years due to the ability to design intricate shapes and patterns that are otherwise impossible or extremely expensive to manufacture using traditional methods.
Soon, 3D printing promises to raise the standard through print-to-order manufacturing.
To make packaging prototypes, 3D printing can be the superior solution to current processes, offering the flexibility, efficiency, and cost reduction that combine production and design.
3D printing could also provide an environmentally sustainable option in packaging. Production is usually done overseas to keep costs down. 3D printing can be a viable option.
3D printing can enable the packaging industry to produce at a lower cost. By integrating warehouses and production facilities, overseas shipping costs and carbon dioxide emissions are drastically reduced.
Print quality, speed, and materials are improving over the next few years, and 3D printing will likely have more influence than we anticipate in industries such as packaging.
Although 3D printing technology is still in its infancy, soon, we will see the transition from narrow specialization to scalable printing suitable for all industries.
By 2029 and beyond, additive manufacturing technologies will enable customized on-demand solutions limited only by the user’s imagination.