Changing consumer behaviour needs to be closely followed by the food industry , and with it the issue of packaging .
urbanisation , demographic change and , of course , the pandemic . These factors have not only radically accelerated the entire e-commerce business , but also the use of packaging material as virus protection at POS . And this is where it gets interesting : On the one hand , products have to be safely packaged and protected for transport , and on the other , packaging as a means of presentation needs to be both compelling and sustainable . Many consumers are unsure which choice will keep their ecological footprint lean when shopping . They are not alone in this : most manufacturers or users of packaging feel the same way . Packaging that may be well-intentioned but is in reality more harmful to the environment than beneficial , continues to enter the market . Waste management companies understand this well : What cannot be separated easily or only has a small share in the collection of recyclable materials cannot be recycled . This results in the recyclable material cycle missing out on the material and the recycler missing out on his margin . For non-recyclable materials , the only option is thermal recycling – a euphemism for the waste incineration plant .
Recycling as a decisive factor in the sustainable packaging process It isn ’ t only the social trend towards more sustainability that will dominate the future – politics will be setting the direction for the industry with stricter regulations and recycling quotas . The backdrop is the European Union ’ s Green Deal with an action plan for a functioning circular economy . In the packaging and food industry , this requires not only the use of fully recyclable materials , but also the targeted collection , clean separation , and complete recycling of waste , resulting in a pure material that can be used again for the same purpose without any
The food industry will need to rely more on paper packaging . Yakult , together with packaging machine manufacturer Schubert , has replaced its films with wrap-around cartons .
compromises .
Several recyclers and dual systems have already developed their own certifications with which the recyclability of a specific packaging solution can be re-evaluated . It becomes a problem for material composites that cannot be separated or are difficult to separate , such as PE bottles with PVC sleeves – although the use of mono-materials is viewed positively in terms of establishing plastic as a part of the circular economy . The food industry , for example , will have to rely more on the use of mono-packaging materials and paper packaging . As a result , the trend towards plastic-free packaging will increase . Food that is offered in a plasticfree packaging option will set the pace in terms of sustainability . This will also
affect dispenser systems on supermarket shelves . The trend towards “ refills ” will intensify . Although filling stations are still a rarity , retailers such as Alnatura , dm , Kaufland or Aldi are already testing unpacked stations in some of their shops to assess how customers accept the self-filling offering . Although the initial focus is on cosmetics , cleaning products , detergents and dishwashing liquids for refilling , but dry foodstuffs are now also available unpacked – whereby you simply bring the right containers with you or buy them on the spot . The key questions are : Where can the industry do without plastic ? Where can substitute products be used ? But also importantly : How can we protect food from damage during transport ?
Consumer behaviour isn ’ t always entirely rational . More than half of the packaging produced for consumers globally is used for the food industry . But the packaged product accounts for ten to a hundred times more CO2 pollution than the packaging itself . The protective and shelflife function of packaging that is suitable for the product is vital , but consumers are often not sufficiently aware of it . The packaging industry needs to take this into account and positively influence the expectations of customers through the use of mono-materials and information .
Flexibility and efficiency as the be-all and end-all of future-proof production What matters in food packaging is maximum flexibility and efficiency . Flexible , agile and efficient automation solutions are key to the future of food packaging – especially in a market environment with high competitive pressures and constantly changing consumer behaviour due to demographic changes , digitalisation and regulatory restrictions , as well as the increasing social expectations for more sustainability .
With packaging machine manufacturer Schubert , food manufacturers can rely on a long-established company that offers highly automated flexible packaging processes for all products in the food
Through the modular design of its packaging machines , the fastest possible format changes and ideally coordinated processes , Schubert offers exactly the type of answer the packaging industry will need in the future .
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