Packaging trends 1/2

With the increase of consumers’ concern about environment and climate change, plastic in particular has started to be perceived as a problem, one that people feel it’s possible to mitigate if not solve. Lots of attention has been focused on the approach to packaging: it must change and it is. Here are some of my reflections on packaging trends.

According to next decade packaging trends reports created by accredited research institutes, innovations related to packaging are going to assume a variety of forms, considering the different advantages that packaging is able to create such as extending products’ shelf life, preserving food ingredient fortification, ensuring safe delivery, highlighting products’ information and much more.

First of all, brands and businesses need to take into consideration the widespread urge to reduce the use of plastic: also considering just the UK, 81% of people feel this need. The response to that can include a variety of options, from the complete elimination of packaging to the minimising of its weight, from the use of plant-based and natural materials for wrapping products to the introduction of 100% recycled AND 100% recyclable plastic.

Directly linked to this first packaging trend, the second one: customers are desperately asking for “clean” labels. Transparency, accuracy and ease of understanding are key factors in on-pack communication. Brands and businesses are required to follow the “less is more” design rule, eliminating all the non-strictly necessary information and design elements, being very clear and succinct in explaining the elements of quality and functionality of their products, being helpful in defining what part of product and packaging is recyclable.