Page 28 - Packaging News Jan-Feb 2020
P. 28

TRENDS & TECHNOLOGY
Green and healthy:
the trends driving food packaging
Health and the environment are two of the major trends shaping the food packaging market, according to a report from PMMI.
PMMI, the Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies in the US, charted changes in how consumers perceive food and food packaging in its 2019 Trends and Advances in Food Packaging and Processing report.
With the global food packaging market set to reach $400bn by 2025, PMMI spoke to 55 large food manufacturers and SMEs in the areas of bakery and snack; cereal and grain; meat, poultry, and seafood; beverage; dairy; perishable prepared; candy and confectionery; frozen; and shelf stable to find out what is driving food industry growth, and what constraints are holding it back.
“The food industry has undergone significant changes over the last few decades as consumer desires and modern lifestyles have facilitated a shift in how people perceive food.
“Many of the same consumer trends from recent years are still relevant today, with the most popular trends being health-conscious foods that include a focus on sustainability,” the report says.
The report found that single-serve packaging; ready-to-eat meals; enhanced convenience; expansion of consumer purchasing power; a growing supply chain; and demand for food and delivery services are pushing food industry growth. On the other hand, the market is also being hampered by volatile raw material prices; uncertainty in global trade policies; government regulations; high-profile contamination recalls; and consumer-driven environmental concerns.
Healthier eating is a significant and growing trend, with consumers preferring “clean” labels: 37 per cent of US consumers believe it is important to understand ingredients on food labels, and an overwhelming 91 per cent say products with recognisable ingredients are healthier.
“More than ever, consumers want to see the actual product in the package when making a purchase,” said one packaging engineer interviewed as part of the study.
Additionally, food packagers are seeking out more environmentally friendly packaging, to stand
“The food industry has undergone significant changes over the last few decades as consumer desires and modern lifestyles have facilitated a shift in how people perceive food.” – PMMI
028 JANUARY-FEBRUARY 2020 WWW.PACKAGINGNEWS.COM.AU
out to conscious consumers who prefer recycled materials that can then be recycled in turn; the report says the next sustainability frontier is biodegradable and compostable packaging.
Paper and paperboard hold the biggest market share of food packaging materials in the US, at a combined total of 43 per cent; plastic products including bags and pouches, packaging film and sheets, and bottles are just behind at 37 per cent. Metal cans and glass containers make up the remaining 20 per cent, at 15.1 per cent and 4.9 per cent respectively.
Plastics are growing faster than paper and paperboard, however: the survey found that bags and pouches are expanding at a compound annual
growth rate (CAGR) of 3.2 per cent, bottles at 2.6 per cent, and films and sheets at 0.7 per cent. This is in contrast to the shrinking paper and paperboard sector, with paper bags and paperboard folding boxes both contracting; only paperboard containers are growing, at a CAGR of 1.1 per cent.
“Packaging changes are typically for sustainability or to achieve a greater shelf presence. To meet our goals to use more recyclable materials, we might move from flexible to all PET usage by 2025,” said a senior packaging engineer for a snack food company.
The 2019 Trends and Advances in Food Packaging and Processing report is available from PMMI, an industry association partner of APPMA.


































































































   26   27   28   29   30