The History of Packaging – Part Three
THE STATE of PACKAGING TODAY
L E S S O N S F O R T O DAY ’ S B R A N D O W N E R S
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HISTORY OF
PACKAGING
CLASS 101
READING, Product packaging began in the ancient world
with the challenge of how to transport food and
Packaging today is now increasingly intertwined
with advanced technology, giving brands and
WRITING &
drink. The Egyptians invented glass containers retailers opportunities to utilize serialized
and the Chinese leveraged paper-making packaging, plant-based materials for bottles
techniques to create the first flexible packaging. and barrier technology to reduce food waste.
CENTURIES OF In the 20th century, packaging materials and
packaging design merged to become one. The
Packaging is no longer a container or even
just a brand communicator, it is a digital entity
INNOVATION contour glass Coca-Cola bottle is a substrate,
brand and package design all in one.
connected to smart technologies that “talk” and
share data, often in real time. The future is now.
I
Design That Thinks Green
Post-consumer packaging today is likely to end up in one of to ask themselves: “Is the package made with materials
“Start the
three places: a recycling program, a landfill or (worst case
scenario) in the environment, perhaps floating in the ocean. One
and in a format that can be recycled?” Walmart offers tips
on materials to avoid, such as polyvinyl chloride (PVC) design
way to ensure that packaging gets recycled, is for brand owners
and designers to start the design process with the end in mind.
or biodegradable additives in petroleum-based plastics.
When sourcing materials, they also advise reducing or process with
Walmart is the largest retailer on the planet with considerable
influence on their suppliers’ choices. They offer suppliers a
eliminating packaging components or layers, going with
“right sizing” packaging and shifting to reusable containers. the end in
guide, “Sustainable Packaging Playbook,” and urge suppliers mind.”
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Easily Find the Bad Apple “Serialization
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) reports* more
than 20 million pounds of food products were recalled in
Serialization assigns each product a unique serial number via
a barcode, such as Digimarc Barcode, and is a prerequisite
can also help
2017. When a food product has been mislabeled, for example,
it can unwittingly expose allergic consumers to certain food
to track-and-trace efforts. Serialization can also help with
supply chain and warehouse efficiency, through the process with supply
ingredients. Food manufacturers can potentially identify the
problem products and their locations (“track and trace”) and
of aggregation, where individual products can be serialized
and put in larger packages that are also serialized; aggregated chain and
get those particular products removed from shelves without
resorting to a blind recall, causing millions in lost sales.
packages can be tracked and traced in real time.
*FDA Summary of Recall Cases in Calendar Year 2017
warehouse
efficiency.”
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Packaging: To ‘Serve and Protect’ “Brands are
For years, a socially responsible approach to packaging This new technology includes multi-barrier technology (MBT),
looking at
centered on recycling the substrate alone. Yet a growing
awareness among consumers about food waste, has
where a barrier is inserted into the package substrate that
prevents elements like oxygen, water and light to permeate innovative
food manufacturers looking at innovative packaging
technology to extend product shelf life. In 2017, The New
the substrate and impact the product. This has great
potential for extending the shelf life of food products and packaging
York Times reported that 60 million metric tons ($162
billion of food) is wasted annually in the United States.
reducing food waste. Heinz uses barrier technology for its
Beanz Fridge Pack and incorporates it into its marketing; the technology to
package copy states “Once Open Stays Fresh for 5 Days.”
extend product
shelf life.”
Pouches Take Center Stage
Pouches are big time. Sixty-one percent of consumers prefer A 2018 report by Energias Market Research indicates global
“61% of
snacks in stand-up pouches*. Pouches have a number of obvious
advantages: lightweight, durable and affordable. They also
flexible packaging (predominately pouches and bags) is
projected to reach $313.1 billion in coming years, growing consumers
allows brands to reposition a product. Dried fruits in a pouch,
for example, can be more easily positioned in or near the fresh
5.1% from 2018 to 2024. Many products, such as pasta sauce,
which traditionally came in glass jars and cans, are now prefer snacks
departments. One issue, however, is that many pouches are not
recyclable, which runs counter to current consumer and brand
available in pouches, making it less expensive to produce
and move goods through the supply chain. Of brands that in stand-up
enthusiasm for sustainability. use stand-up pouches, a majority (57%) reported* they were
able to lower production costs because of this form factor. pouches.”
*“Flexible Packaging Transition Advantages Study,” Flexible Packaging Association (FPA)
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All Boxed Up and Ready to Go
Retailers today expect shelf-ready packaging. Fulfilling this
expectation requires a thorough understanding of both a
WestRock, a global packaging manufacturer, advises brands to
think of the “five easies” when designing cases that are retail
“Retailers
retailer’s needs and the needs of its shoppers. When designing
packaging and cases, brands should focus on how easy it is for
ready: Products are 1) easy to identify in the stockroom (clear text
and graphics); 2) easy to open (no tools needed); 3) easy to stock today expect
the product to be removed from the cases and transferred easily
to the shelf. If a store associate can’t intuitively understand how
(product to shelf in one movement); 4) easy to shop (case does
not obscure primary package); 5) and easy to dispose of (unit is shelf-ready
to display the product correctly on the shelf, it’s not retail ready. designed to break down and is recyclable/reusable).
packaging.”
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Using AR to ‘Mix it Up’ “AR and
Retailers and brands have been quick to understand the Estates uses AR mobile engagement to target a specific
packaging is
potential for augmented reality (AR) to enhance the in-store
consumer experience. Lacoste makes it easy for consumers
consumer demographic: 18- to 34 year-old-men. Its brand
“19 Crimes” has wine labels with black and white pictures
now the newest
to point the mobile app at their feet and discover what shoe
styles and colors might look best. Apparel brand and retailer
of British 19th century convicts sentenced to the penal
colony of Australia. The winemaker created an AR mobile playing field for
Timberland now offers a virtual fitting room, which they put in
main window displays of store windows to engage foot traffic.
app, and when consumers point their phone at the label,
the convicts begin “talking” in the app, telling their story. increasing brand
AR and packaging is now the newest playing field for
increasing brand interaction and loyalty in the store and also
interaction and
during post-purchase. Australian wine maker Treasury Wine
loyalty.”
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Packaging with a Mind of Its Own
Internet-of-Things (IOT) technology is more than just smart
home appliances, it is also smart packaging. By adding an
In 2017, Frito-Lay demonstrated how IOT packaging expands
the consumer engagement playbook. It created a limited-
“IOT technology
advanced barcode, such as Digimarc Barcode, brands and
retailers can digitize packaging, turning products into interactive
edition “Party Safe” Tostitos bag. The bag came with a sensor
connected to a microcontroller that detected traces of alcohol is more than
assets. These connected packages become more than just
new channels for consumer engagement, but ways to make
on a person’s breath. If alcohol was detected, the green symbol
on the packaging turned red and reformed into the shape of a just smart home
supply chains smarter by accessing data on real-time location,
manufacturing history and logistics performance.
steering wheel with the warning: “Don’t Drink and Drive.” The
bag also automatically connected users with an Uber ride home. appliances.”
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Plant Biomass Containers
“In 2015, Coca-
Plastic’s Future Is Plant-based Cola launched
The standard plastic for beverage containers (PET bottles)
has served for decades as the trusty workhorse of packaging.
In 2015, Coca-Cola launched PlantBottle™, the first-ever
recyclable plastic bottle made from plants, such as corn. PlantBottle™,
It is portable, inexpensively made and easily recyclable.
But not all plastics are recycled, and many tons end up in
The bottle looks, functions and recycles like a PET bottle and
is made up of 30% ethanol from plant material. According the first-ever
the environment. In 2017, Coca-Cola sold 128 billion PET
plastic bottles, but the company’s Ben Jordan admitted in
to a Hexa Research report, the global bioplastic packaging
market size was at $3.61 billion in 2016 and is expected to recyclable
a Coca-Cola blog: “too many of them ended up as waste.”
Plastic made from plant biomass, such as corn, now offers
significantly grow through 2024. Major brands and retailers,
including Nestle, Proctor & Gamble, Unilever and Target, have plastic bottle
an alternative to petroleum-based beverage containers. formed the Bioplastic Feedstock Alliance (BFA) to examine
how best to use feedstocks (e.g., corn) for bio-based plastics. made from
plants.”
Future of Packaging: Math Meets Art
In our current stage of technology advancement, where With Signal Rich art, the code is native, inherent in and
packaging is smart and talks to other machines, how
can we possibly imagine a future where packaging
inseparable from the design. The code is the art. This new
approach to design—because it is based on mathematical “With Signal
is more cutting edge? What can the future possibly
hold for the humble consumer goods container?
algorithms—will literally offer an infinite number of new
design approaches for the creative community. Rich™ art, the
The answer is a next-generation design concept from
Digimarc known as Signal Rich™ art, which combines
code is the art.”
art and mathematical principles to produce beautiful,
one-of-a-kind designs that are digitally enabled and go
beyond what’s available using conventional codes.
The History of Packaging
The State of Packaging Today
Watch Chapter One: “The Evolution of Packaging Materials”
digimarc.com/hop
Watch Chapter Two: “The Birth of Packaging Design ”
digimarc.com/hop
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Sources:
“10 Ways to Design Sustainable Packaging with Intent,” Packaging Digest, Byron Shova, July 13, 2016
“Global Flexible Packaging Market to Witness a CAGR of 5.1% During 2018-2024,” Energias Market Research Pvt. Ltd., April 25, 2018
“Rigid vs. Flexible Packaging: Which Will Increase Savings & Sales?” ABC Packaging Direct
“Wine brand 19 Crimes uses AR to make 19th century convicts come to life,” Campaign, Simon Gwynn, Oct. 2, 2017
“How These Retailers Use Augmented Reality to Enhance the Customer Experience,” Shopify, Alexandra Sheehan, Feb. 21, 2018
“Smart packaging adds more mystique to Oculto beer,” Packaging Digest, Rick Lingle, Dec. 15, 2018
“4 sustainable truths impacting food packaging today,” Packaging Digest, Jorg Sabo, March 29, 2018
“Plastics: no barrier to quality,” Packaging Europe, Nov. 3, 2017
“How sustainable are biodegradable and plant-based plastics?” Packaging Digest, Tom Szaky, May 30, 2017
“Unpacking Coke’s Bold New Sustainable Packaging Vision,” Coca-Cola Journey, Jay Moye, Jan. 19, 2018
“Top 5 sustainable packaging trends and news of 2016,” Packaging Digest, Lisa McTigue, Nov. 30, 2016
