Happy New Year readers! It seems like 2018 flashed by. As we turn our heads to a new year, we’ve been thinking about the packaging trends we can expect to see throughout 2019.
Based on consumer trends and what we saw, heard and experienced in the packaging industry last year, here are our predictions…
1 – Re-thinking plastics
Unless you’ve been hiding under a rock for the last 12 months, you’ll have noticed that the world is starting to take notes of plastics. Consumers are continuing to challenge brands over the perils of plastic waste, and this trend won’t slow down in 2019.
So, if you’re using plastic packaging in your supply chain, how can you change this? Well, you might not be able to eliminate plastic entirely, but you can try to reduce it. Some ideas we suggest include:
- Reviewing your stretch film – could you do more with less?
- Switching to gummed paper tape over regular plastic-based tape
- Check out compostable alternatives (but make sure you know the facts about what compostable films actually offer)
- Analyse your infill yields – you might be using too much, adding to waste
2 – Re-usable packaging and recycling schemes or incentives
Sticking with the environmental theme, we believe that re-usable packaging is going to be an emerging trend this year.
As consumers become more environmentally conscious, there’s additional pressure for retailers to demonstrate they’re reducing their impact. We already know of companies designing re-usable mailing bags, with plans to introduce plastics recycling schemes for their customers.
3 – The growing popularity of flexible packaging
Advancing technology means people are now opting for flexible packaging options over rigid ones. Examples include things like wraps, bags, pouches and envelopes.
Flexible packaging offers lots of advantages, as it’s easy to store, convenient to open and uses less material than its rigid counterparts. Plus, it can be made re-sealable, depending on the application and are easy to ship, which is a positive for ecommerce businesses.
4 – Recycled content materials
Another impact of growing environmental concern will be the increase of recycled content materials made available in the packaging industry.
For plastics particularly, this is a great way to cut waste in the environment. Washing processes are offering improved clarity, which means recycled content plastic now can be used for a wider variety of applications. Plus, as recycling processes improve, higher percentage recycled content packaging will become available.
You’ll already notice that many companies have turned to recycled content cardboard, which is currently easier to reclaim than other materials!
In fact, the UK government has committed £60m to recycling products in to sustainable packaging, to try and tackle the country’s waste problem.
Support with your packaging in 2019
Looking to refresh your packaging or want to make a change? Book an appointment with one of our packaging experts. Complete our contact form or email contact@networkpack.co.uk today.
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