With the environmental concerns surrounding packaging and its contribution to the global plastic waste crisis, it’s no surprise that it continues to be a hot topic for discussion across multiple sectors.
But interestingly the packaging sector has also become a hotbed for innovation as packaging suppliers and brands seek to find new solutions to meet growing environmental, economic and social demands – particularly in the food and drinks sector.
In today’s post, the experts from Kendon Packaging, will be looking ahead at the ‘on-the-go’ food industry in particular, casting an eye to what the future might look like in the next few years.
Zero Waste
Naturally one of the biggest drives for innovation in the packaging sphere is to reduce needless plastic waste ending up in landfill and polluting our rivers and oceans. While many brands have made significant strides to tighten up their packaging materials to reduce waste like reusable coffee cups and ‘bags for life’, some see the future of food packaging for convenience foods being no packaging at all.
The Zero Waste movement, started by Bea Johnson, harks back to the good old days where reusing, refilling, recycling and composting packaging and groceries was simply the norm, mostly as a money-saving exercise. However, the modern take is to aim to create zero waste to lead a fully sustainable lifestyle and minimise waste headed for landfill.
This concept currently relies heavily on the consumer providing their own receptacles for carrying goods, but some forward-thinking supermarkets and fast-food brands are reacting by adapting their packaging to be reusable or at best non-existent. From abolishing plastic-wrapping for fruit and vegetables to bulk bins where shoppers can fill up their own jars and bags, buying goods in weight, this concept is definitely something we expect to see more of with on-the-go purchases.
The Milkman Model
Following along the same thread, a new platform called Loop was announced at the World Economic Forum earlier this year. Designed to change the way customers buy many household products like washing detergent and shampoo, it aims to do away with disposable and single-use packaging altogether. The concept is based on the traditional milkman delivery model, whereby consumers would purchase these products in reusable containers that would be collected from their home, washed and refilled.
Although this model is currently only partnered with a few large global brands, including PepsiCo and Procter & Gamble, if successful these kinds of reusable schemes could be rolled out as the ‘go-to’ solution for grocery shopping, including convenience food. For instance, the idea of buying a grab-and-go meal in a reusable container that can be collected or picked up from a drop off point and reused is definitely not beyond the realms of possibility in the next few years.
Clear Packaging
Moving away from the environmental concerns around packaging, there is also an increasing need from savvy consumers for unambiguous packaging. In a society that has the power of knowledge at their fingertips, today’s shoppers want to know instantly what’s inside the packaging – particularly when it comes to what they eat.
For grab-and-go food, this is even more pertinent as people with busy schedules make snap decisions on the hoof, so blatant packaging is going to be an essential part of keeping up with the trend.
Naturally, it helps if the food inside is visible from the outset, but clear branding and labelling are also essential. People now want to easily identify what the product contains, so we predict a move towards unfussy, functional packaging that clearly shows key information like whether the contents are gluten-free and vegan – allowing consumers to quickly ascertain if the product meets their dietary needs.
We can’t predict exactly what the future holds for the packaging of grab-and-go foods, but it’s certainly clear that environmental and consumer-led packaging will be highly influential in driving change within this sector to deliver more sustainable solutions.
Author bio:
Alex Jones is a content creator for Kendon Packaging. Now one of Britain’s leading packaging companies, Kendon Packaging has been supporting businesses nationwide since the 1930s.
