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Table 1 Opportunities and threats. A summary

From: European packaging industry foresight study—identifying global drivers and driven packaging industry implications of the global megatrends

Clustered Megatrend/challenge

Opportunities

Threats

“More from less”

Product protection

Packaging to reduce (food) waste (e.g. fully emptiable, multi-packs, re-closable, smaller size etc.)

More people—higher food demand

Lean packaging

Support sustainability at a higher level (product, business, value chain etc.)

Proactively shape and define sustainability and sustainable packaging

Aseptic packaging as an alternative to cold chains

Barriers to extend shelf life

Supply chain collaboration for better performance

Packaging for recovery

Water packaging

Deepening poverty due to over-exploitation of natural resources

Increasing material prices

Increasing energy prices

Scarcity of water, energy etc.

Competition for raw material to other products (including bio-energy)

Competition for forest land use to agriculture, housing, infrastructure etc.

Climate change affecting material supply

Too little emphasis on primary function of packaging and too much emphasis on recovery of packaging.

“A personal touch”

Packaging—a materialised service

Smart packaging

Added value by packaging

Sustainable packaging/packaging to support sustainability

Bridge gap between end-user and material

Packaging innovation for healthy and nutritional food

New business models

Consumption of services instead of goods

“On the move”

Packaging logistics efficiency

Packaging barriers—shelf life

Lifestyle enabler

Integrated waste management solutions

Urbanisation can pave the way for more efficient production and distribution

Recycling and waste management availability, convenience and capacity

“Divergent demographics”

Universal packaging design

Growing middle class

Growing prosperity

Healthy food

Functional food

Reduce food losses

 

“iWorld”

Smart packaging

Logistics efficiency

New business models and products

Tagging

Packaging as a time saving provider

Free content—product samples

Packaging as a link to the digital world

Physical products replaced by virtual products

IPR of packaging and product designs