What is the Future of Food Packaging? A Guide

What is the Future of Food Packaging? A Guide

The food industry is currently undergoing some big changes. As the future unfolds, these changes are going to take over, which will ultimately influence manufacturers, marketers, and customers. If you want to learn more about this, the following guide has some exciting information for you to dive into.

The 2020s are well underway. Many industries have taken some hits over the past few years (and are struggling to recover), whilst other industries are thriving like never before. The food industry—and specifically the food packaging industry within it—are excellent examples of this!

According to Fortune Business Insights, between 2021 and 2028, the global food packaging industry is expected to grow from $338.34 billion to $478.18 billion. This is huge.

Population growth shows no signs of slowing down, so it’s not surprising that the food packaging industry is continuing to level up.

But this raises the question:What is the future of good packaging?

Here’s what you need to know.

Polymer Plastics are the Future

As future years unfold, polymer plastics will be at the core of food packaging production. Why? Simple. It’s because they:

  • Keep food products nice and fresh
  • Stop contamination
  • Are recyclable

The result of this is that thousands of food packaging manufacturers will turn to websites such as polychemistry.com for polymers so that they can produce the best possible packaging.

Remember, sustainability and green initiatives are big topic of discussion across all industries at the moment—but especially within food and agriculture. Companies and manufacturers of all sizes are looking to focus on sustainability so that they can prosper for as long as possible. Polymer plastics—and other recyclable packaging materials—will play a significant role in this.

QR Codes

Here’s another cool trend in the world of food packaging: QR codes.

Only recently have companies started to engage with this trend. By 2030, it will likely be the industry norm.

In a nutshell, QR codes are used on food packaging so that companies can reduce their waste and keep their packaging as small and compact as possible.

When a customer scans a QR code that’s on the side of food or drinks packaging, they will then be transported to the provider’s website where all the information they need will be provided (such as how to cook the food, calorie guide, etc.). It’s a modern solution that also saves customers from having to squint to read the small print on the packaging before they put their food in the microwave or oven!

Minimalism

The future of food packaging will also be centered around minimalism (which you’re already starting to see across many popular food chains).

The days of cluttered, over-designed food packaging are gone. Instead, it’s fast becoming about minimalistic packaging that gets the message across in a way that’s as simple as possible. This usually includes:

  • Clear labeling
  • Company values
  • Health benefits
  • Environmental benefits (“I’m easy to recycle!”)

Customization

Finally, there’s custom packaging. Right now, companies of all types—from local to luxury—are allowing customers to request customized/personalized packaging by filling out online forms first (after all, most people now do their food shopping online). For example, if somebody orders a cake, they can have a label with their name on it attached or engrained into the packaging, which creates a much more memorable customer experience.