Packaging the future
At the start of 2022 we discussed the types of food and beverage products consumers want to buy in carton packs. Or, rather, the type of packaging that can meet consumers’ demands in this area. Over the course of the series, we discovered that nutritious, convenient, sustainable, long shelf-life products ranked highly – with carton packs serving consumers on all fronts.
Almost two years on, it’s time to revisit the market. Have trends changed and by how much, and how can the right packaging partner – like SIG – help manufacturers and producers turn carton packs and other formats like spouted pouch offerings into opportunities?
Today’s most influential trends
This year, thanks to ongoing interest in health and wellness, consumers continue to demand food products that are healthy, which promote sustainability in terms of ingredients, processing, and packaging, and which claim to offer some kind of functional purpose such as being “gut friendly” or “for better bone health”.
Unpacking new opportunities
While the above trends offer manufacturers and producers plenty of opportunity in terms of product differentiation, other factors such as demand for on-the-go lifestyles, the cost-of-living crisis and even rising allergies and intolerances must also be taken into account.
Bearing all of this in mind, consumers want nutritious food that can keep for longer, which was responsibly sourced and manufactured, and which meets all their demands for variety and aesthetic appeal without costing too much. Ultimately, food products that offer them as much value as possible.
With the global packaged food market expected to grow from around USD2.9 trillion in 2022 to almost USD5.3 trillion by 2032, the opportunities will just keep rising for manufacturers and producers. Whether it’s a ready-made meal that meets the average adult’s fiber intake, or a healthy soup in a spouted pouch – making it easy to transport to work.
What’s next on the menu?
Today’s consumer trends are expected to continue, with increased focus on sustainable ingredients and packaging, more creative and innovative plant-based offerings, functionality, and flavors. More niche trends include a rise in demand for vibrantly colored products, or products that contain “luxurious” and healthy ingredients like sea buckthorn or seaweed. If we look at packaging, consumers also want convenience and greater variety in terms of size.
What we can expect from future packaging
At SIG, our packaging solutions come with an array of benefits that can help manufactures and producers stay ahead of the curve. Whether our customers want to be more flexible, improve their carbon footprint, or offer a greater variety of eye-catching products.
In part two of the series, we focus on what consumers want from the global baby food segment and how manufacturers and producers are meeting demand. Follow along and catch up on other topics by subscribing to our bi-weekly SIG Newsletter
- January 11, 2024
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