Packaging’s new role meets changed consumers, retailers and value chain 

Consumers are changing their values, retailers are bringing new competitive strategies to the market, and the traditional value change is shifting to accommodate those needs. Mike Richmond, a PTIS vice president, says packaging is taking on an expanded role to meet those changes. It is becoming a key business enabler and often a leading strategic product as business shifts to meet the new market. Richmond made those observations as he presented the Aaron Brody Distinguished Lecture in Food Packaging at Michigan State University. His presentation, Strategic Importance of Food Packaging, made these key points:

• Consumers have changed with a stronger emphasis on value
• Retailers have changed, and see packaging as a competitive tool
• Companies have changed by moving packaging up in priority to meet new challenges
• Sustainability is still not a major driver of packaging decisions for consumers, yet ten years ago it did not exist
• Global markets gain importance as 97 of 100 people born today are in developing countries
• Open Innovation is still new
• The packaging value chain has changed significantly and the best way to describe it today is the “integrated value web”
• Science and technology are in a growth mode; they will provide answers to many of the challenges packaging faces today
• Shelf impact is the buzz
• The private label concept has grown into a strategic private brand concept
• Design has moved to Holistic Packaging Design