Page 40 - Packaging News Magazine May-June 2020

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FOOD PACKAGING | www.packagingnews.com.au | May-June 2020
Top packaging trends of 2020:
In collaboration with PackagingInsights, Innova Market Insights has unveiled its Top Packaging Trends 2020, with “the language of environmental sustainability” identified as this year’s leading trend. Joshua Poole, editor of PackagingInsights, writes.
footprint, end of life disposal, plastic- free and renewable material creden- tials and using more detailed and noticeable on-pack messaging to con- vey this. For example, Australian brand Pod & Parcel’s Bancroft Blend coffee packaging reads: “Inside this box, you’ll find coffee that’s sourced with provenance, flavour and sustain- ability in mind. Our eco-friendly pods break down in just 90 days – about half the time it takes an orange peel.”
Environmental welfare trust marks have also gained traction, with some notable additions, such as the Plastic Free Trust Mark appearing more widely on packaging. This trust mark and others, including the Metal Recycles Forever and FSC-certified logos, are freely available to brands meeting the necessary criteria and provide a clear communication of environmental stewardship. For example, there has been a 25 per cent average annual growth in food and beverage launches with an FSC- certified logo, according to a 2019 Innova Consumer Survey (Global, CAGR 2015-2019).
2PLASTICS COME FULL CIRCLE
As circular economy targets loom on the horizon, the incorporation of recycled plastics into packaging is on the rise. The UK government will introduce a Plastic Packaging Tax from April 2022 that will be enforced with financial penalties to incentiv- ise the incorporation of recycled plas- tic. Meanwhile, 71 per cent of Brazilian consumers believe that F&B companies should only use sustain- able packaging, according to a 2019 Innova Consumer Survey.
FMCGs are investing heavily in recycled plastics in a bid to overcome universal supply and cost barriers. To “pioneer the shift from virgin plastics to food-grade recycled plastics,” Nestlé recently committed to sourcing up to two million tonnes of food-grade recy- cled plastics and allocated more than 1.5bn Swiss francs ($2.4bn) to pay a premium for these materials between now and 2025.
Also, post-consumer recyclate (PCR) supply partnerships are pop- ping up in increasing numbers around the world. Notably, Unilever
FMCG brands are finding a competi- tive advantage in more prominent on-pack communication of their packaging’s environmental sus- tainability credentials. Packaging – and its impact on the planet – are now regarded as key purchasing considerations for many global
consumers.
1THE LANGUAGE OF ENVIRONMENTAL SUSTAINABILITY FMCG brands are increasingly acknowl-
edging the environmental attributes of packaging as a key selling proposition of consumer packaged goods.
A 2019 Innova consumer survey found that 38 per cent of Indian, German and UK consumers want to
know what impact the food and bev- erage products they buy have on the planet. The majority of these respon- dents indicated that this information makes them feel more connected to the brand.
Further, intensifying regulatory demand is driving the transition to more eco-friendly packaging. Notable examples include the EU’s Single-Use Plastics Ban and, more recently, its Circular Economy Action plan, which prioritises the reduction of excessive packaging and packaging waste, and China’s strategy to phase out a broad array of single-use plastics by 2025.
Accordingly, brands big and small are more transparent and informative about their packaging’s carbon
ABOVE: Carlton & United Breweries replaced plastic shrink wrap with cardboard for its six packs.
RIGHT: Mondi and Unilever developed a PP mono-material pouch for the Knorr dry soup powder range in Turkey.