You can click here to subscribe to ThePackHub’s regular packaging blogs.

#1 Boarding pass printed on drink cans is a novel football souvenir

The Brazilian Football Confederation (CBF) and soft drink brand Guarana Antarctica have combined to introduce a novel way to engage with travelling Copa America football tournament fans. They have created a personalized boarding pass printed on drinks cans. The boarding passes are printed on the spot by a digital printer upon check-in at Congonhas airport in São Paulo.
Customers who take direct flights through the São Paulo airport will receive the boarding pass on the can of Guaraná Antarctica with their details and QR code. Each passenger can make a single impression and the can must remain closed until they are on the flight. If the can is opened, the passenger must get the boarding pass reprinted.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#2 Potting soil solution removes water from supply chain

Wine producer Vintage Wine Estates has announced the introduction of a new bottle wine beverage. The new Gaze Wine Cocktails proposition answers consumers’ need for modernity and portability via a recyclable aluminium bottle. It offers resealability on-the-go with a twist-off closure. The aluminium structure also reduces breakages on the go compared to glass. The new recyclable aluminium wine bottles are an unusual departure from glass or PET for the wine sector and offers a distinctive point of difference on shelf. See also Resealable aluminium bottles shakes up wine market.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#4 At-home refill system shakes up cleaning spray market

Unilever is a founding member of The UK Plastics Pact that aims to eliminate unnecessary single-use plastic packaging by 2025. Read more about the company’s sustainable packaging commitment. The business has unveiled a new at-home refill system for its Cif Power & Shine cleaning spray bottles. The concentrated refills uses 75% less plastic, reduces water usage by 97% and reduced carbon emissions. The ecorefill promises to remove 1.5 million plastic bottles from circulation in the UK market. Consumers add the concentrated refill to an old spray bottle and mix it with water and repeat the process when it runs out. Everything but the plastic sleeve is recyclable  The ecorefill bottles cost £2.50, which is around the same price as the normal bottles. Unilever hope to role out more products in the same format in the future. See also Collaboration leads to launch of online refillable cleaning products revolution.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

ThePackHub’s 168 page Packaging Innovation Briefing Report for July is out now comprising 100 new packaging innovations, analysis and comment. What to know more? Why not download a free sample.

Please visit ThePackHub or call us on +44(0)118 963 9990 to find out more about the range of packaging innovation services we offer. We’ve delivered projects for a number of brand owner, retailer and packaging suppliers.

Until next time. Happy innovating.

You can click here to subscribe to ThePackHub’s regular packaging blogs.

#1 Patented innovation ensures clothing can fit through letterbox

It is estimated that around 250 million packages are distributed by e-commerce businesses in the Netherlands every year. A new pack for e-commerce has been introduced that promises to significantly improve efficiency, reduce costs as well as be better for the environment. Mail, parcel and e-commerce experts PostNL have introduced Fashionpack, which is designed yo take air out of the packaging for the distribution of clothing. This now means that the packs can easily fit through householder’s letterboxes. The patented innovation prevents the unnecessary transportation of air and improves distribution efficiencies.  Fashionpack has been developed in such a way that clothing comes out undamaged and set in place. Up to three items of clothing can be reduced to the size of a letterbox slot. The packaging consists of multi-layer material and is also waterproof.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#2 Mouthwash brand breaks packaging rules with new chewable tablets

Biomaterials as alternatives to fossil-fuel based plastic continues to come through the Innovation Zone funnel. There is a noticeable increase in inititiatives using byproducts that would otherwise be waste. Kaffeeform is a German business that puts used coffee ground to good use. They have developed an innovative and sustainable material made from used coffee grounds combined with renewable biopolymer raw materials. They have a selection of coffee cups  available in a range of different sizes. The cups are reported to bedurable, light and dishwasher safe. They have a mild smell of coffee that might even enhance the overall drinking experience with the addition of aroma. The recyclable cups are locally produced in Germany. See also Coffee waste could be next bio-material to make beverage cups.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#4 Swedish fish supplier switches to bioplastic film made from sugar cane

BD Fisk is a leading Swedish fish supplier. The business has begun to use recyclable bioplastic packaging for its range. The bioplastic film is made using sugar cane as the raw material. The plastic film is an ‘I’m Green’ PE plastic from Brazilian bio-experts Braskem. It has the same properties as oil-based PE plastic and can thus be recycled together with other plastics in household recycling collections. The initiative is carbon negative in that sugarcane removes more than three kilos of carbon dioxide from the air for each kilo of bioplastic produced. The pack is nearly 80% bio-based with a barrier material incorporated to deliver an oxygen barrier. The aim is for a fossil-free solution in due course.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

ThePackHub’s 168 page Packaging Innovation Briefing Report for July is out now comprising 100 new packaging innovations, analysis and comment. What to know more? Why not download a free sample.

Please visit ThePackHub or call us on +44(0)118 963 9990 to find out more about the range of packaging innovation services we offer. We’ve delivered projects for a number of brand owner, retailer and packaging suppliers.

Until next time. Happy innovating.

You can click here to subscribe to ThePackHub’s regular packaging blogs.

Early Bird Ends Soon
Top Packaging Suppliers Guide 2019

ThePackHub’s Top Packaging Supplier Guide 2019 is an essential report collecting innovations from the last 18 months picked from the most active companies in ThePackHub’s Innovation Zone database.

From Amcor to WestRock, ThePackHub’s Top Packaging Supplier Guide 2019 has over 250 ideas covering a wide range of materials and applications, there really is something for everyone!

Available as a printed report delivered postage free. Purchase of this comprehensive guide is also comes with a free, fully searchable PDF.

The cost of ThePackHub’s Top Packaging Supplier Guide 2019 is just £699.

Early bird launch offer – ends Friday 12th July

Save £300. Get your Top Packaging Supplier Guide 2019 for just £399.

Find out more and order here.

ThePackHub is delighted to publish our revamped Packaging Innovation Briefing Report for July 2019. This comprehensive and unique review of the month’s global packaging innovations and industry news ensures you are kept up to speed and fully informed of all the latest packaging innovations.

You can find out more here or also request a sample here.

#1 Intelligent packaging system optimises box sizes

Spain-based e-commerce technology retailer PcComponentes has introduced new technology that improves secondary packaging efficiency. The retailer has become one of the first companies in the field of information technology to improve the packaging system by implementing a new intelligent technology that improves logistics productivity.  The new system is able to automatically calculate the volume and weight of the products to be packed to create fit-for-purpose boxes to protect brand owners’ original packaging. The new system significantly reduces the quantity of packaging used for the preparation of its orders. The packaging is generated in a completely autonomous way and includes the shipping label that references the weight and other necessary data. It is claimed that the new technology will save up to 95% in plastic use and 50% in carton. See also In-line autopacker with fit-to-size pack automation saves costs and helps environment.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#2 Beer brand launches very limited edition gaming controller pack

Sussex-based researcher Lucy Hughes has developed a new alternative to traditional plastics. It is claimed that the material developed is stronger than standard plastic carrier bag and that it degrades in nature more rapidly than other bioplastics made from materials such as corn starch.The new material is biodegradable and home compostable and is made from a combination of fish scales and red algae. It is estimated that the skin of one cod fish could produce up to the equivalent of 1,400 carrier bags. It is claimed that the MarinaTex production costs are in line with conventional flexible plastics. Marinatex does not leach toxins into the environment. Hughes is keen to further develop the material with a view to scale up production with the product potentially ready for market exploitation with the next 12 months.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#4 Wrapper-less ice cream pack reduces plastic use

Unilever is a founding member of The UK Plastics Pact that aims to eliminate unnecessary single-use plastic packaging by 2025. Read more about the company’s sustainable packaging commitment. The consumer goods giant is trialling new packaging format to help reduce the amount of single-use plastic used.  Multipacks of Solero organic peach ice lollies will be sold wrapper-less in a recyclable cardboard box with compartments that negates the need for individual plastic wrappers. The new box is a PE-coated cardboard. It has a plastic content of around 5% meaning it can be widely recycled in the UK. A full roll-out is not a foregone conclusion with a small test in Ocado online stores to help establish shopper reactions to the activity and whether the pack format will be rolled out.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

Join our new sustainable packaging Facebook group More Plastic Than Fish and be part of the conversation.  Join here.

Please visit ThePackHub or call us on +44(0)118 963 9990 to find out more about the range of packaging innovation services we offer. We’ve delivered projects for a number of brand owner, retailer and packaging suppliers.

Until next time. Happy innovating.

You can click here to subscribe to ThePackHub’s regular packaging blogs.

Early Bird Launch Offer
Top Packaging Suppliers Guide 2019

ThePackHub’s Top Packaging Supplier Guide 2019 is an essential report collecting innovations from the last 18 months picked from the most active companies in ThePackHub’s Innovation Zone database.

From Amcor to WestRock, ThePackHub’s Top Packaging Supplier Guide 2019 has over 250 ideas covering a wide range of materials and applications, there really is something for everyone!

Available as a printed report delivered postage free. Purchase of this comprehensive guide is also comes with a free, fully searchable PDF.

The cost of ThePackHub’s Top Packaging Supplier Guide 2019 is just £699.

Request a free sample of the report.

Early bird launch offer

Save £300. Get your Top Packaging Supplier Guide 2019 for just £399.

Find out more and order here.

#1 Fully recyclable single-serve coffee pack introduced

US-based specialty coffee company NuZee has introduced a recyclable single-serve coffee pack to improve their environmental credentials. The fully recyclable packaging comes to market via food and beverage packaging specialists Huhtamaki with their next generation range of recyclable flexible packaging called blueloop. See Mono-material range launch improves recyclability. Huhtamaki’s blueloop solutions are mono-material structures made from a combination of widely recyclable PP, PE and paper. The single serve pour over coffee pack consists of a customised box and a disposable filter and coffee sealed in a pouch. Up until the packaging change, all the packaging bar the pouch was recyclable. The previous pouch had a combination of film and coatings to maintain freshness. The use of Huhtamaki’s blueloop packaging film in the manufacture of the nitrogen-flushed pouch changes that and creates a 100% fully recyclable that still maintains the freshness of the coffee.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#2 Plastic-free shampoo brand hits Canadian shelves

Although the plastic on much of the wrapped bread sold in the UK is recyclable, few local authorities collect it as part of kerbside services.  Consumers need to take the packaging to a recycling point to be recycled alongside carrier bags. Northwich, UK based Roberts Bakery is creating a stir with ‘in your face’ messaging to promote the introduction of paper packaging. Rolling out to 300 Tesco stores on its core 800g loaf range,  the bags are made from sustainably sourced paper and a thin PP coating. This enables the loaves to carry OPRL’s ‘widely-recycled’ logo, the first UK bread brand to be awarded this.  The roll-out of paper packaging on the 800g core range follows the launch of the packaging on Roberts’ bloomer as reported in the Innovation Zone – 100% recyclable bakery brand shouts claims on pack. Roberts is aiming to eventually switch to plastic-free packaging across all SKUs and in all stockists.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#4 Secondary packaging transforms into jetpack after the kids’ clothes have been unpacked

Sustainable fashion company Stretchy kids’ clothing brand Petit Pli has a unique selling proposition that sees their pleated and stretchy clothes expand as young wearers gets older and bigger. The big idea is to reduce clothing waste as well as save parents’ money, as children move up several sizes in the first few years of their life. As well as making branding and communications changes, London-based NB Studio has also designed special structural packaging for the brand. The FSC cardboard box has been designed in an origami style that lets consumers transform it into a jetpack after the clothes have been unpacked. This gives the box a new life by turning it into a kids’ toy and sustainably extending the use of the packaging.  The clothes are also wrapped in leftover material surplus to the production process. See also Try out your best origami with one-of-a-kind chocolate packs.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

Join our new sustainable packaging Facebook group More Plastic Than Fish and be part of the conversation.  Join here.

Please visit ThePackHub or call us on +44(0)118 963 9990 to find out more about the range of packaging innovation services we offer. We’ve delivered projects for a number of brand owner, retailer and packaging suppliers.

Until next time. Happy innovating.