Page 14 - Packaging News May-June 2021

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INDUSTRY INSIGHT www.packagingnews.com.au | May-June 2021
Top packaging trends for the
A new report by Innova Market Insights and PackagingInsights has highlighted the trends to dominate the packaging sector in the post-pandemic world. Joshua Poole writes.
public issues in 26 countries – above even Covid-19 – using its creative insights platform Visual GPS.
Climate change fears are encourag- ing brands to take a holistic approach to packaging’s environmental impact, ushering in an age of Life Cycle Assessments focused on more than just end-of-life disposal.
Recycled plastics accessible via established circular economies are also increasingly integral in fighting cli- mate change. A 2017 Alpla study found recycled PET produces 79 per cent lower CO2 emissions than virgin PET.
Carbon labelling also continues to gain traction. In January, Amcor began offering printed ‘Reducing CO2 Packaging’ labels on a range of flexible packs. The move came after a Carbon Trust-commissioned YouGov survey found two-thirds of European consumers support prod- uct carbon labels.
Energy efficiency in production and processing is also crucial to packaging’s total CO2 impact. Renewable energy is becoming increasingly common, with more leading packaging suppliers lining up to commit to net-zero carbon emis- sions, including Sealed Air by 2040.
Robotics and automation are also shown to be a catalyst at minimising energy in machinery.
FIBRE-BASED FRENZY
Innovation in plastic replacement fibre- based solutions is booming as brands explore plastic waste escape routes and new connections with the enlarging eco-conscious consumer base.
Even in more technically challeng- ing categories like confectionery bar wrappers and pouches, full-scale paper packaging conversions are occurring, notably Nestlé’s Smarties [see page 44 of this issue].
More stringent regulations are driving the transition from single-use plastics to fibre-based alternatives.
In the budding paper bottle space, Coca-Cola recently brought Paboco’s paper bottle prototype to the ‘critical testing phase’ in Hungary while Absolut Vodka is transitioning from glass to paper bottles in the UK and Sweden.
The prototype consists of a paper shell with an rPET closure and liner.
INNOVA Market Insights, in collabora- tion with PackagingInsights, has revealed its top packaging trends. ‘Home Delivery Haven’ leads the pack as the top trend, followed by ‘The Carbon Catalyst’, ‘Fibre-based Frenzy’, ‘Hygiene Heroics’, and
‘Reusable Revolution’.
HOME DELIVERY HAVEN
E-commerce is a long-term trend, exponentially expanded by the Covid-19 pandemic, and home food delivery has especially soared due to lockdowns and social restrictions. According to a recent survey by Innova, 35 per cent of global consum- ers have increased their home food delivery use since the virus outbreak, and 15 per cent of global consumers do not expect to return to regular gro- cery habits post-pandemic.
Global accounting firm Deloitte sup- ports the findings, saying the pan- demic is “rapidly changing our behaviour toward online channels, and the shifts are likely to stick post-pandemic”.
Furthermore, Amcor is predicting the online European grocery market will grow 66 per cent by 2023, with cheese, yoghurts and chilled desserts representing the most popular fresh food categories.
A crucial challenge for transit packaging is freshness preservation, intensified by pandemic supply chain disruptions and geo-political uncertainties, such as Brexit.
Exponential e-commerce growth also creates opportunities for enhanced brand recognition and product experience through fit-for- purpose packaging.
THE CARBON CATALYST
Anti-plastic fervour fuelled by the so- called ‘Blue Planet effect’ has expanded into what could be coined the ‘Greta Thunberg effect’. Plastic pollution concern is undiminished, but increasingly viewed as one of sev- eral environmental issues dominated by climate change.
Getty Images identified climate change and sustainability as the top
BELOW: Online shopping for fresh food is boosting demand for e-commerce packaging solutions.
RIGHT: The Unilever refill station at Coles Moonee Ponds store in Melbourne.