The Rundown: 2020’s key packaging trends

The Rundown 2020’s key packaging trends for food & drink

By Paul Jenkins, Managing Director, ThePackHub

Well, what a year that was! The packaging industry has just experienced the most troubling ten months of our post-war lives. A global pandemic has created a tremendous amount of disruption, uncertainty and often opportunities for all involved. Some have thrived, others have faltered. COVID-19 has undoubtedly had an impact on every part of the packaging supply chain. Consumers changed their shopping behaviour as we experienced a speedy and steady migration to e-commerce channels. Panic-buying also became the order of the day resulting in a lack of product availability as well as a temporary reduction in range as supermarkets struggled to keep up with demand. The stock-piling has seemingly come to an end but the legacy of the pandemic might just be heightened hygiene fears. Something shoppers rarely gave a second thought to in 2019. Despite the COVID-19 turmoil, improving sustainability in food and beverage packaging continues to be of significant focus and is a major part of the packaging trends coming through the pipeline. Most brands, retailers and larger packaging suppliers are working to stretching targets as part of the UK Plastic Pact to achieve 100% recyclable, reusable or compostable packaging by 2025. With just under four years to go, the pace of change is accelerating despite the disruptions mentioned above. Pending Plastic Tax obligations, which encourage plastic packaging use with at least 30% recycled content, is also having an impact on behaviour.

As we enter 2021 for, hopefully, more favourable and optimistic trading conditions, what were the main packaging trends of 2020?

1.REFILLABLES AND REUSABLES KICK IN One area that has had a successful 2020 is the reusable and refillable packaging market. ThePackHub has tracked many new initiatives coming to market. The Ellen MacArthur Foundation estimates that it is still only around 2% of the volume but with aspirations to get to 25% by 2025, the sector is sure to continue to grow at pace. It is fair to say that TerraCycle’s Loop is trailblazing the refillable market with several introductions and launches last year as well as an ambitious expansion plan for 2021 and beyond. Most notable is the imminent launch of the Loop reusable programme to bricks and mortar store, rather than having to rely solely on online ordering, UK shoppers will be able to visit a Tesco store and drop off their empty packaging whilst shopping for new items in reusable packaging at a dedicated aisle. They will be able to drop off their reusable McDonald’s cup as well in Tesco outlets when that scheme launches in 2021.

2.THE MOVE AWAY FROM PLASTIC WILL NOT SLOW DOWN Plastic reduction and elimination has been a strong theme for food and beverage packaging for more than three years now. The Blue Planet 2 programme, which aired in November 2017, helped to recalibrate our relationship with plastic. We have seen several prototype announcements in the beverage bottle market of paper-based alternatives to plastic. The product isn’t quite the finished article yet with challenges around non-recyclable plastic barriers but, with such capable big brands supporting the development, it is inevitable that they will get there. Bacardi has made the bold pledge to switch to a paper-based solution across the board when its solution is ready, replacing 80 million plastic bottles a year. For food packaging, plastic has been a really useful and inexpensive friend of the packaging industry by keeping costs down and helping to reduce food waste through extended shelf life. Switching out of plastic can be difficult for many food and beverage categories but the activities carry on at pace. Recycling initiatives will continue to gain traction.

With the majority of brands and retailers working towards targets to improve the recyclability of their packaging, we are inevitably seeing many new initiatives come to market. There is still a disconnect between claiming to be ‘100% recyclable’ and actually being recycled by consumers. Recyclability is multifaceted. It is the introduction of recyclable solutions – either through the switching from other materials or making the material easier to recycle (through the introduction of single materials for example). It is also increasingly about the introduction of recycled content in packaging. For example, Pepsi 18. www.packagingbirmingham.com has committed to eliminating all virgin plastic from its Pepsi brand bottles sold in nine European Union markets by 2022. The move is projected to lower carbon emissions per bottle by approximately 40%. Mono-material developments are also high on the agenda. Mars Wrigley France has introduced a new sustainable solution for the French market, which sees its M&M’s Choco brand now presented in recyclable packaging.

3.INTELLIGENT PACKAGING IS MAKING STRIDES Although the environment is very much the primary focus for food and beverage brands, not all innovations are to do directly with sustainability. We are tracking more and more initiatives that help to reduce food waste through the use of smart and intelligent packaging. A good recent example is a timer device development from. The Packadore Collective that attaches magnetically to food packaging lids and attempts to use motion sensor technology and an LED lighting to help consumers reduce food waste. Many more are being developed for imminent pilot testing.

Despite the current trading restrictions, it is still very much business as usual with many new packaging initiatives coming through the pipeline. 2021 promises to be a busy year for everyone involved in the dynamic and ever-changing world of packaging innovation.

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