Packaging can be critical to whether or not a product is purchased. Good packaging sets the final impulse to buy. That’s why it’s important to keep up with the times and develop it in a product- and market-oriented way. Two movements can be seen in the market that will be indispensable in the future.

Sustainability megatrend

The topic of sustainability is already playing a decisive role under the aspect of climate protection and will have an even stronger influence on packaging in the coming years. It can be observed that more and more ecologically sustainable packaging materials with less plastic content can be found. Plastic as a packaging material is increasingly being replaced by degradable environmentally friendly raw materials such as cardboard made from grass or even agricultural waste. However, the aspect of sustainability is not only found in terms of packaging materials, but also goes hand in hand with an energy-efficient and environmentally friendly manufacturing process and design.

An example in the field of packaging design is the sports brand On Running, which has revised the packaging concept of shoes in 2021. Thanks to the revised design, it will manage to save 7 tons of black ink, 18 tons of paper, 15 tons of plastic and 160 tons of CO2 every year. The previously black cardboard packaging gives way to a minimalist, natural design made of cardboard left in its natural state with accents in white. In this way, On Running is also catering to another trend: naturalness. A natural look and feel are playing an increasingly important role. Plus point is also that the packaging of clothing and shoes consist almost entirely of recycled material and can be easily recycled again.

On is thus only one very good example of many. There will definitely be more innovative sustainable packaging alternatives in the future.

Smart Packaging

One trend that can turn packaging into a high-quality eye-catcher and encourage potential customers to buy is packaging with smart added benefits or gadgets. This includes the integration of electric light into packaging . According to packaging manufacturer Karl Knauer, this can be done using HiLight – printed electronics/smart LEDs or OLEDs. A brand we are all familiar with has already caused a sensation with this: Coca-Cola. In cooperation with Karl Knauer and the company Inuru, OLEDs were used to create a luminous Coca-Cola label. A spectacular staging for the point of sale.

But it should not remain with a single smart packaging solution. Packaging can also be used to tell a story to potential customers. Packaging can be used live for storytelling or as a screen for films. Augmented reality (AR) also offers an opportunity for this.

A nice AR example is the packaging of Bresso. In collaboration with the app Shazam and the company zappar, people were directed to a marketplace via the app and could participate in a sweepstakes using a gamification approach.

Not only AR will gain importance as a smart packaging trend in the future.