Our latest research report on external factors influencing packaging innovation is now live!

The latest instalment of our food and beverage packaging research series has arrived.

You can explore our latest report here.

In 2024, we launched the first two reports of our series, uncovering insights from 380 packaging decision-makers. In these reports, we explored the ways that internal factors in food and beverage packaging companies, and developments in the testing environment, have impacted the extent of innovation taking place right now.

Now, the latest report looks at how external factors are influencing innovation and why attention is turning to futureproofing.

So, what are the biggest external influences facing food and beverage packaging manufacturing, and how are these issues impacting innovation levels?

Our research lifts the lid on three factors in particular:

• Supply chain disruptions
• Consumer reactions to packaging
• Investments in futureproofing

Managing sourcing challenges

For over half (53%) of respondents, difficulty in sourcing materials —especially for paper packaging (58%)— was highlighted as a challenge. Our experts helped shed light on these results. They explained that paper packaging has grown in popularity because of its sustainable credentials, but the infrastructure and circular economy for paper is not yet robust enough to meet this growing demand.

Has this challenge halted innovation in paper packaging?

Interestingly, these challenges have inspired innovation in some companies, with data analytics being leveraged to predict material requirements and minimize waste. Rodger Segelstrom, our global product line director, discusses this in the report: “Material availability, inflation, supply chain delays, and changing consumer expectations are all shaping how companies are developing their strategies.”

The power of the consumer voice

Consumer reactions remain a powerful force when it comes to shaping packaging strategies today. In our research, over half (56%) of packaging professionals in the UK and USA agreed that their approach has been reshaped to align with consumer responses.

The majority of respondents also agreed that their companies have conducted their own consumer research to guide innovations. However, our expert contributors highlighted that wider context is required when making innovation decisions in order to prevent missteps – sharing specific examples of this within the report.

Preparing for the future

Our research revealed a strong focus on planning ahead, with more than 1 in 5 respondents strongly agreeing that their company has invested in futureproofing.

Why is that happening? What exactly does futureproofing look like? And is it the same for every packaging company?

Steve Davis, our global director of product management, believes that the level of global instability we are currently experiencing could be a factor. In the report, he shared that packaging companies are making sure their operations are set up to meet current demand and forecast effectively to minimize any resource waste.

While there isn’t one standardized approach, and unique company goals will determine more nuanced decisions, we are noticing a large increase in automation. By exploring automated approaches in production and testing, companies are benefitting from a reduction in errors, better data, continuous improvement and more accurate forecasting.

True innovation levels

Across our research series, we learned that only a quarter of respondents feel their company is actively innovating, with 41% planning to. However, our experts believe that the exploration of these three key areas explored across our series proves otherwise. In this final report, they mention that this result may stem from differing perceptions as to what constitutes “innovation.”

Companies across the globe are continuously innovating by adopting new approaches to minimize waste, bridge skill gaps, enhance testing accuracy, and improve cost effectiveness. However, they may not perceive the changes as ‘packaging innovation’ because there isn’t a visible change to end user of the packaging produced.

As the industry looks ahead, companies like Industrial Physics will continue to play a vital role in supporting these advancements while ensuring safety and quality.

For a deeper dive into how external factors are influencing food and beverage packaging, download the full report here.

Stay tuned for more insights as we continue exploring the future of packaging.