[Consumer Driven] Food producers and packaging manufacturers must attempt to balance the financial, environmental and even social aspects of their products to address consumer expectations. 1. The need for functional packaging to contain and preserve food, and to communicate required information, remains constant from year to year. Packaging for food and beverages occupies up to 40% of global packaging sales, and estimated to reach $340.8 billion by 2016, according to Smithers Pira. However, the influences on the final packaging product can change quickly. In Asia Pacific, the social, economic, and demographic trends that drive changes in food packaging are particularly rapid. As populations grow larger and wealthier, the overall demand for packaged foods increased, in particular for packaged meats. Differentiation at the point of sale becomes crucial in the face of increased competition. In more developed locations, including Japan, China, Korea, Hong Kong and Singapore, lower birth rates and lifestyle changes mean that people are working more, cooking less, living independently, and are living longer - thus creating a stronger demand for single portions. At the same time, globalization and increased mobility mean that more foods are imported. 2. Design The demands made of packaging design are high. Guaranteeing freshness and hygiene is a particular challenge, as foods must often cover great distances when travelling from their place of origin to supermarket shelves. Additional time passes before they find their way into a shopping basket, and then again before they ultimately end up on the dining room table. Innovations in packaging design and technology ensures packaging can keep products impeccably fresh and hygiene. Consumers tend to react very negatively in packaging that no longer appears perfectly intact from the outside. 3. Manufacturing processes Information technology, new processes, and advanced materials have had a strong impact on how packaging is manufactured. These factors range from division of labor between various stages in the packaging chain, to rapid prototyping using new materials. In the future, nano technology and bionics could be added to the range of possibilities. Detailed levels of transparency in the manufacturing process is necessary since carbon footprint dates, down to the individual product level, is demanded more and more frequently by consumers and other stakeholders. Material reduction is a crucial point for brand owners as well as packaging manufacturers, to help reduce raw materials costs and disposal fees. It also allows for marketing or labeling products as being more sustainable or Eco-friendly. However, to achieve these material reductions while still meeting product protection calls for increased levels of stability and barrier properties. 4. Consumer behavior As consumer focus on end-of-life performance becomes more intense, both recycling and biodegradability are in the spotlight. According to a survey of 6,000 consumers in 10 different countries, carried out by Swedish carton manufacturer Tetra Pak, recyclable packaging is one of the publics key priorities. More than 60% of buying decisions are taken in the store, according to a survey by Schlegel and Partners. Therefore, packaging that appeals to multiple senses helps attract consumer attention. 5. Looking ahead The need for – and the requirements of - functional food packaging are expanding rapidly. While obvious trends point to more recycling, more bio-based and more compostable plastic packaging in the future, there are many other possibilities such as the use of nano particles (nanoclays, nano SMI, NFC), emulsions of biopolymers, and new design systems based on new materials (vacuum coating, atmospheric plasma, ALD, and chemical grafting). Additionally, in years to come, intelligent or active packaging could help reduce food waste. This is a response to experts efforts around the world to come up with new ways to inform consumers about the perish ability of food and to protect against spoiling. The new systems could display the freshness of a product, and at the same time increase its lifespan with oxygen absorbents or special acids. With the advances, functional packaging for the food and beverage industry is on track to fulfill todays and tomorrows sustainability requirements. Asia Food Journal September-October 2013
Posted on: Tue, 28 Jan 2014 06:20:57 +0000
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