NUDE PRODUCTS: IS THE END OF PACKAGING COMING?
It is a challenging time for packaging specialists and brand owners: the desire for sustainable consumption is growing, but at the same time the products should also be safe and comfortable. Packaging Europe asked Uwe Melichar (epda President, Melichar Bros.) and Christian Prill (Partner Brand Strategy at Factor) what brand owners, designers and packaging specialists should do now. PE: Rem Koolhaas wrote the bon mot ‘If less is more, maybe nothing is everything’. Wouldn’t it be nice to live in a world without packaging – with nude products?
CP: Many people question their own consumption today and would like to reconcile their actions with reasonable goals, such as fewer CO2 emissions. A few years ago, this resulted in new retail formats such as ‘Package Free Stores’ (New York), ‘Helu’ and ‘Bulk Market’ (London), ‘Original Unverpackt’ (Berlin) or ‘Ome Farm’ (Tokyo). Since Corona, however, we have seen that in addition to the desire for sustainability, a high
level of security for people is even more important. That is also an ethical value, other than comfort. Seen in this way, nude products have become less likely again. I see opportunities for brands above all in the focus on innovative developments. This is the best way to achieve sustainability and security together. But that’s a long way off.
UM: Interestingly, coffee-to-go cups have been popular again since Corona. They are anything but sustainable. First of all, such packaging forms emerged because people have become increasingly mobile. They then prevailed mainly because they were paired with time optimization and habits, for example at Packaging Europe | 23 |
