Food & Drink Processing & Packaging Issue 44 2023 | Page 6

Heading into the future with sustainability in the foreground
Packaging machine manufacturer Schubert implements highly automated flexible packaging solutions for all products in the food industry , here for Kühne .

Packaging trends in the food industry

Heading into the future with sustainability in the foreground

These days , we are not only living in difficult economic times , but also in difficult political times . High energy prices are not only affecting energy-intensive production , but all parts of the economy and European society . Those who believed that we had come out of the deep end after Corona and supply bottlenecks , are now being rudely brought back down to earth by inflation and the energy crisis . But let ’ s not forget that difficult times offer opportunities for change : Options to increase business flexibility , agility and efficiency through innovations , automation and digitalisation are available even and especially in times of crisis .
If we take a look at trends for the next year in the food industry from a packaging standpoint , ecological sustainability will
6 FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk remain the defining theme . It isn ’ t only about the actual product , but perhaps even more about packaging and logistics . There is hardly a supermarket left that does not want to appease the ecological conscience of its customers with local suppliers and short travel distances . Customer centricity will continue to be a key factor when it comes to finding and retaining customers in the food industry : Branding and brand management are not only achieved through advertising , but increasingly through presentation at POS and therefore through packaging . The look , feel and information conveyed on the packaging add value to brands . Protection and hygiene are also essential prerequisites . No matter how high the sustainability standards , they will not lower consumers ’ expectations of quality and hygiene . In other words , consumers will continue to ‘ eat with their eyes ’, which is why there is simply no way around an appealing , appetising presentation – but now also taking into account the impact on the environment and climate .
SUSTAINABILITY AS A DRIVER FOR CHANGING CONSUMER BEHAVIOUR
Changing consumer behaviour needs to be closely followed by the food industry , and with it the issue of packaging . A few years ago , organic products were more likely to be found in health food shops , but today they are available in most supermarkets . The topic of e-commerce or e-foods is also playing a steadily growing role in the food industry . This development is favoured by