New Packaging Ideas and Innovations from ANUGA 2017

Andrew Streeter, director of packaging innovation and development at the research company Pack-Track, has spoken about challenges of consumer packaging and what companies can improve in this sector, in a webinar hosted by GlobalData.

Consumer packaging has to fulfill an ever expanding range of different needs, often critical and conflicting. Packaging opportunities, in Streeter’s opinion, are:

• Online and digital are changing the FMCG world.
• The consumer sees and touches the pack long before product.
• Critical: how a consumer identifies a packaging in retail.
• Critical: how consumers engage with the packaging in their space.
• Unit pack cost: the elephant in the room.
• Even in a small outlet, there are 10,000 SKUs fighting for consumers attention.
• 80% failure rate of new product launches, meaning an important chance to stand out among other goods.

Innovation and functionality of the packaging are very important, he summarizes. On the other hand, innovation stands out: it is the vehicle of change and it interacts in many ways with the consumer, from its functional aspect to the design. The expert also mentioned that the packaging can provide consumers needs and brands aspirations because it’s creative, physical and real and a media channel for a product. Sometimes, producers need to start thinking outside the box and make disruptive changes or radically forward movements.

Among the trends that stood out at Anuga, Streeter noticed new packaging functionalities, new packs adapted to costs – for example small portions or single wrapped products. Premium products also were distinguished, with a very impressive variation of shapes.

For biscuits and baked goods, the specialist says that he observed low levels of packaging innovation in the mix in some sectors. At ANUGA, Streeter noticed big display features at the booths, but he also underlined that most packaging formats for the baked products were similar, with room for innovation and differentiation in this packaging sector.

Photo source: anuga.com 

Photo caption: Stand: Stokson, ANUGA BREAD & BAKERY