The packaging industry which reciprocates changes within the economy, making it an extremely volatile market. A significant percentage of the industry is focused on retail, so when consumer confidence dwindles, the packaging industry is hit with a depreciation in demand. Where is the relevance to top trends you may be asking yourself? Well, Brexit has indeed caused a decline in consumer spending due to the economic uncertainty it has brought the country. All is not lost. Despite this inculcating a decline in footfall, the packaging industry is forecast to succeed thanks to the rise in e-commerce. For this, we can thank America; holidays such as Black Friday have caused a surge in online shopping and for that there is a demand for packaging. From every online purchase, the consumer expects to receive a sturdy box that can be returned hassle-free, with an appealing aesthetic showing off the brand and which demonstrates the company's efforts to be environmentally conscientious. Here's the second trend in packaging.
Sadly, America isn't coming out on top in this category, following Trump's decision to leave COP 21 unsigned. Irrespective of his decision, the general consensus is that we are causing excessive and unnecessary damage to our planet. As a result, regulations within the packaging industry are quite rightly becoming more stringent.
Let's take a look at improvements being made in the industry:
Recently, the industry has been turning towards a reduction in water pollution and water-based inks have offered the possibility to eliminate toxins which were previously contaminating water systems. Additionally, Red Bus Cartridges offer a unique service, recycling printer-toners and cartridges. Furthermore industry leaders are investing in waste water and ink extractor units that separate the two, forming an easily disposable powder from the ink, from the purified water.
Where does this leave the Corrugated packaging industry? There is great competition between the plastic and cardboard packing industries regarding who is the greater devil to the planet. In the main people are drawn to paper-based packaging because it seems to be the most natural. Plastic tends to get a great deal of stick. Doing a quick google would demonstrate that paper based packaging is more harmful to the environment because it requires more energy to make and remake, as cardboard boxes will typically have 1-3 lives, whereas plastic's lifetime is almost indefinite. However, statistics demonstrate that by the end of the century we may well end up with 30 billion tonnes of plastic. Horrifying. While cardboard is both renewable and biodegradable. Plastic is not. This means that into the next century we will still be laden with a plastic monstrosity. Worse is that, while plastic is reusable and recyclable, too much is left to release toxins in landfills which occurs from its reaction with water, or otherwise doing the same in the sea and causing collateral damage to sea life. We have all seen the disturbing images of turtles strangled by beer can dividers and birds choked by plastic they have mistaken for fish floating on the sea's surface. Yes, corrugated cardboard has a high carbon emission count, but the difference is we are in the process of changing this. Plastic is toxic and that is inherent to its material, that will not change, nor will the depletion of fossil fuels used to make it and resultantly, nor will the huge mass of plastic that we will be left with for generations.
With improvements in machinery within the industry leading to more efficient runs and higher quality printing, there has been a rising trend for SRP and RRP. Corrugated display packaging is a big hit among retailers because it not only helps to market their brand, but also allows for enticing packaging that promises sturdiness, economic and ecological benefits and encourages consumer spending.