Innovation Zone

ThePackHub Innovation Zone Snapshot

Welcome to ThePackHub’s Innovation Zone, where we bring you the latest and greatest in packaging innovation.

With 6,730 searchable initiatives from leading companies around the globe, including recent updates from Australia, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, France, Germany, India, Italy, Luxembourg, Spain, UK and USA, we’re your go-to source for staying ahead of the curve in the packaging industry.

Each month, we collate over 100 new packaging innovations for our platform, and today we’re excited to share four new ideas with you. But why stop there? Upgrade to 25 new innovations a week by visiting https://www.thepackhub.com/the-innovation-zone/ and discover all the latest packaging innovations.

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We are excited to unveil the “Exhibition Stories” report service, brought to you by industry leaders Ariane Van Mancius of Now New Next B.V. and Paul Jenkins of ThePackHub.

This service recognizes that not everyone has the ability to attend every packaging exhibition but still wants to stay informed on the latest trends and innovations in their field. “Exhibition Stories” offers reports on Europe’s largest and smallest packaging trade fairs from experts in trends and packaging, NowNewNext and ThePackHub.

Kicking off with LuxePack, held in Monaco for its 35th year, bringing together the entire world of luxury packaging. Upcoming “Exhibition Stories” will cover the Dutch catering trade fair Horecava in Amsterdam in January 2023 and Empack Netherlands in April of next year.

The first Exhibition Story is available free of charge and can be downloaded for free here:
https://lnkd.in/d6J3DzkF

ThePackHub’s Refillable & Reusable Packaging Compendium Volume 2 is out now. The most comprehensive reuse packaging trend summary available. Find out more and order here.

NEW – Book on our next free webinar

FREE one-hour webinar. Catch up on the latest e-commerce packaging innovation trends with this whistle-stop tour of the latest initiatives. We will cover many recent in-market and developmental examples to inspire you and keep you up to speed.

We will also be joined by Ian Beresford of Head of Marketing & Development at Essentra Tapes, who will be discussing how packaging can create that vital first impression of an E-commerce business for customers and therefore plays a crucial role in consumer perceptions of their sustainability status.

Hosted by Paul Jenkins, Managing Director of ThePackHub.

Register here.

#1 Supermarket moves to aluminium cans for smaller wine bottles

British supermarket chain Waitrose has announced that it is moving most of its small wine bottles from glass to aluminium cans. The new cans will include a wide range of grape choices including whites, reds and rosés, and will be available in 187ml, 200ml and 250ml sizes. Due to appellation restrictions the move will not include varieties such as champagne, prosecco, cava and rioja. It is expected that the move to aluminium will save more than 300 tonnes of glass packaging, and will halve the carbon footprint per drink, because the recyclable cans require less energy to transport as they are lighter and take up less space than bottles. The supermarket plans to have moved to aluminium by the end of January 2022. It has been reported that drinks producers have been seeking alternative packaging because the price of glass has almost tripled since the pandemic.

 

#2 New technology for corrugated packaging drives customer engagement

Tennessee-based International Paper has introduced OHMEGA Conductive Ink + Touchcode, a revolutionary technology that enhances brand protection in the packaging industry. This innovative solution features a physical card integrated into the corrugated packaging, containing a code that unlocks a unique experience designed by the brand. Powered by electricity from the human body, the eco-friendly ink conducts and unlocks a special interaction on customers’ touchscreen devices. The benefits of OHMEGA Conductive Ink + Touchcode include quick and easy activation through the customer’s phone browser without the need for a camera or separate app and a secure platform that minimizes the risk of spoofing, phishing, or counterfeiting. With OHMEGA Conductive Ink + Touchcode, brands can offer their customers exclusive content and loyalty programmes tailored to their target audiences, as well as access to an online dashboard to track, measure, and monitor customer engagement. This technology provides a new dimension to brand protection in the packaging industry, which International Paper state they are proud to offer to their customers.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#3 Paper wrappers for chocolate bars trialled in Australian first

Nestlé Australia is trialling its best-selling KitKat bars in paper-based packaging. The trial is being conducted in conjunction with Coles Supermarkets across Western Australia. The pilot will consist of 250,000 paper-based wrappers from January 2023 while stocks last. Each bar will feature a QR code which consumers in WA, SA and NT can scan to have their say by answering a series of questions about the new paper packaging. The paper wrappers can be recycled through kerbside recycling bins. The trial wrapper has a thin metal barrier film to keep the KitKat fresh, and has a recyclable ARL (Australasian Recycling Label). The ARL is an evidence-based system for Australia and New Zealand, that provides consumers with easy to understand recycling information. Nestlé has a goal of reducing its use of virgin plastics by a third by 2025, which includes using less plastic, recycled plastic, and alternatives to plastic packaging.

More info in The Innovation Zone.

#4 New eco-friendly salmon board launched

Telford-based Sirane has announced the launch of a new, more environmentally-friendly salmon board. Millions of traditional salmon boards are used on a weekly basis but contain a metallised polyester layer, which cannot be separated from the board. This means the board can be neither recycled nor composted. However, Sirane’s Earthboard Eco boards are recyclable kerbside, are plastic-free, and use only water-based coatings. Also, Sirane says that besides being easily recycled, they are comparable cost-wise with the plastic-coated boards commonly used. The company also says that it has developed a range of pearlescent water-based coatings which allow them to supply the boards in the familiar colours of gold, silver and black. It’s also possible to supply boards in any Pantone colour, subject to minimum orders. The same boards can also be used for vacuum-packed meats and charcuterie.

 
Please visit ThePackHub or call us on +44(0)118 963 9990 to find out more about our range of packaging innovation services.
Until next time. Happy innovating.
ThePackHub Ltd Albany House, 14 Shute End, Wokingham, Berks, RG40 1BJ. Tel: 0118 963 9990 . Email us >