Smart Packaging Gaining Market Momentum
In recent years, packaging has evolved in response to advances in technology and changing consumer expectations and preferences. Smart packaging solutions are now providing meaningful ways to engage with consumers, ensuring product integrity, quality and safety and enhancing transparency.
Kellogg’s introduces new smart packaging to assist blind and visually impaired shoppers.
The smart packaging market is expected to reach $43.6 Billion by 2027, according to a report by Meticulous Research®. The report noted that some of the factors driving this market growth include a growing elderly population, changes in consumer lifestyles, demand for smart and functional packaging, and increasing demand for advanced packaging solutions in the food processing and pharmaceutical sectors.
Several types of smart packaging solutions that optimize packaging to deliver better consumer experiences are particularly gaining momentum with brands. These solutions fall in the categories of active, intelligent and design for optimizing packaging.
Improving Food Quality with Active Packaging
Active smart packaging solutions often refer to packaging technology that senses, monitors and regulates package environment. This technology helps improve the product’s shelf life by controlling things like moisture and temperature. Two examples of active packaging technology include absorbers that remove oxygen from the package to maintain product freshness and color-changing labels that indicate when the contents of packages are beyond the expiration date or when packages have been stored at the wrong temperature.
Intelligent Packaging Is Enabling Tech Advancement
Intelligent packaging refers to packaging that can do things like track and trace products and engage with consumers.
RFID and smart label technology can be integrated into the product’s packaging to track and trace the entire journey of the product as well as identify any sources of contamination or tampering within the supply chain. For example, if product contamination occurs, these technologies allow companies to quickly identify affected products as well as where and how it happened in the supply chain.
Intelligent packaging solutions also allow companies to provide consumers with an interactive product experience. For example, a QR code on a package activated with a mobile device allows brands to directly interact with consumers by providing content and promotions designed to increase satisfaction and brand loyalty. Another way intelligent packaging technology can help companies engage with consumers is by providing information on product materials, carbon footprint, and manufacturing processes that can enhance brand transparency.
Packaging Designs Are Improving Functionality
Smart packaging design solutions are aimed at improving the function of product packaging to enhance user experience. Design innovations like CCT’s EEASY Lid are part of this growing smart packaging segment.
Smart packaging solutions play an important role in the marketplace today, helping companies increase consumer satisfaction and earn greater brand loyalty. A Deloitte insight on Capturing value from the smart packaging revolution noted that “packaging with enhanced functionality, by way of new technologies, new materials, and thoughtful design – smart packaging – has enormous potential not only to create value, but also to disrupt traditional business models.”
When it comes to design innovation, CCT’s EEASY Lid is at the head of the smart packaging class. This innovative jar lid technology re-designed, reinvented and changed the status quo on jar lid packaging that had not changed in 75 years. Inclusive, sustainable and easy to use, EEASY Lid checks all the essential boxes for smart packaging design solutions.