Sustainability will displace cost as a dominant trend in food packaging over the next 10 years, according to a study by Packaging World and DuPont. Still, food safety/security is and will remain a top trend, respondents say.
The results from a futurist study, designed by Packaging World and DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers, reflect the opinions of more than 500 subscribers to Packaging World and foodproductiondaily.com. When asked what trend would most impact their packaging ten years from now, many respondents cited food safety concerns, with comments like:
"We are facing new threats to food safety due to climate change, the failure to address the problems in agriculture, lack of food in the world, and finally finding solutions for sustainable approaches."
"In the future I expect food packaging to have a whole new set of environmental and performance requirements. Public awareness will increase and continual improvement of performance will be required."
But there were also comments such as, "I foresee sustainability in a new context, where food waste, shelf life, etc. all goes more together." The online survey -- completed in August -- captures insights from consumer goods manufacturers and converters in marketing and packaging development roles. Food, healthcare and beverage markets ranked the highest, but nearly every industry that uses packaging was represented. Two thirds of the respondents are from Europe, with the remaining in North America.
"A key takeaway from this survey is the driving need to work throughout the value chain to develop solutions that holistically address the needs of the industry," said Dale Outhous, vice president, DuPont Ethylene Copolymers. "This type of approach will be needed to tackle challenges as complex as food safety/security, where DuPont is collaborating with many parties in order to drive solutions to tomorrows issues."
The results from a futurist study, designed by Packaging World and DuPont Packaging & Industrial Polymers, reflect the opinions of more than 500 subscribers to Packaging World and foodproductiondaily.com. When asked what trend would most impact their packaging ten years from now, many respondents cited food safety concerns, with comments like:
"We are facing new threats to food safety due to climate change, the failure to address the problems in agriculture, lack of food in the world, and finally finding solutions for sustainable approaches."
"In the future I expect food packaging to have a whole new set of environmental and performance requirements. Public awareness will increase and continual improvement of performance will be required."
But there were also comments such as, "I foresee sustainability in a new context, where food waste, shelf life, etc. all goes more together." The online survey -- completed in August -- captures insights from consumer goods manufacturers and converters in marketing and packaging development roles. Food, healthcare and beverage markets ranked the highest, but nearly every industry that uses packaging was represented. Two thirds of the respondents are from Europe, with the remaining in North America.
"A key takeaway from this survey is the driving need to work throughout the value chain to develop solutions that holistically address the needs of the industry," said Dale Outhous, vice president, DuPont Ethylene Copolymers. "This type of approach will be needed to tackle challenges as complex as food safety/security, where DuPont is collaborating with many parties in order to drive solutions to tomorrows issues."
