
As we approach the end of the year, it’s that time again… no, not to make new year resolutions that will be broken before the end of January, but predictions for trends in the new year.
2023 brought significant challenges for many
However, whilst there may be still further challenges ahead, they always create opportunities for those willing to be agile, dynamic and innovative. So where are the opportunities, it looks like the two main challenges will continue, with financially and also with sustainability.
It will be no surprise for many that optimisation and sustainability are still high on the priorities for many businesses.
Reuse is now starting to gain momentum, the products are there, but systems and processes are developing
Tech washing, fake innovation, customers are investing faster in innovation than suppliers
Packaging companies rolling out old innovations with evolutional design
Need to understand that e-commerce is not the same, completely different needs
Materials, a lot of focus on has been on designs, but there will be more on materials as the circular economy becomes more in focus
Reduce is the first point, not recycling or reuse. Reducing will be the biggest focus for many e-commerce retailers, driving away from bulky and expensive solutions like cardboard boxes where products allow for bags made from a single liner.
1). Optimisation (Reduce)
That famous saying of you cannot keep doing the same thing and expecting different results Is very apt here. There is only so much you can keep taking out material, reducing the size of the box. Two main points will stand out for me, smarter use of materials and advancement In purpose made materials
Forensic optimisation, what is the difference than normal optimisation, well the customer for starters. In 2022 I was challenged by a customer to investigate further into opportunities, not just the usual high level ones, but down to every millimetre will be checked, customers pushing suppliers further. Flexible solutions are still continuing to increase
Technology used for predicting performance, ensuring only the right amount of material is required, as well as used for optimisaiton purposes
More retailers converting from boxes to bags, it’s a simple and proven solution with many already changing
Strategic Reduction
Where you do not do the usual of just removing paper and trimming flaps, but work smart, truly innovate by removing material, but increasing performance, through knowledge, insights and experience
2). Re-use
3). Sustainability Recycle
Greenwashing is and will continue to be called out by customers and end users are doing their homework, re-use is becoming of much greater interest in all areas of packaging
Optimisation is driving sustainability. Costs of new technologies like paper tapes concerning some retailers, at a time when they are trying to reduce costs to stay competitive
End to end sustainability
Clear information, challenging customers and suppliers, saved 3 million metres on one reference
4). Labour
Costs, availability, linked to optimisation and automation. With many looking to optimise, then labour numbers will be reduced on the pack bench, solutions will need to be intuitive, quicker to pack and use less components. In some cases for retailers, 1 second on the pack bench extra to construct a pack, can run into the thousands of lost sales per hour. Businesses will start to consider much more about the key metrics they measure performance on as well. When is the right time to shift to automation and invest, or stay manual.
5). Right sizing & Volumetric Waste
EU legislation and sustainability will drive this further. Increase costs of fuel will mean couriers look for even greater optimisation, with volumetric charging. Manual and automated right sizing. What are the issues with right sizing. Its easy to say right sizing is the solution, which for full automation, it can have significant advantages, however for many smaller businesses, this starts to pose a number of additional challenges, things like variable height boxes can easily reduce volumetric capacity, but can start to cause issue within the supply chain. Every additional crease or cut, reduces the materials performance, so making something completely flexible in size, dramatically reduces your performance.
6). Automation and semi-automation
Full automation of packaging is an interesting one for me, because on the outside it looks like the ultimate solution that fixes all the problems with volumetric capacity. Each box made to measure, using just the right amount of material. But there are many things to consider before finding that sweet spot. Fragile products are not great within automation, feedback from customers has also indicated the amount of floor space required to operate these machines. Then there is the fan fold used to feed them, it can be incredibly wasteful, with large amounts of trim removed or added to the actual solution. Whereas a customer more recently has started to take an interest in the amount of material used per shipment or parcel. So whilst right sizing would reduce the outer box size, the material is still folded and hidden within the packaging. Don’t get me wrong, there are great solutions out there, but I think the key point is that its not a silver bullet solution. There are many, many areas to consider when moving towards a fully auto mated solution and one size in this case does certainly not fit all. Automation and semi-automation will become even more prominent as retailers look for even more cost reductions, whilst creating capacity within the same warehouse space
Unboxing – why have I not included this as a trend?
Over the past 12 to 18 months, this has become a frustration for me, I see so many posts still about it being a trend, but if you take the definition of trend from the dictionary, it states ‘a general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving’
Development and change are the two key words for me here, it’s no longer a development or a change, as unboxing has been around since approximately 2006.
When I researched this online, Yahoo Tech says the first unboxing video was for a Nokia E61 cellphone in 2006. According to Google Trends, searches for the term “unboxing” began to surface in the final quarter of 2006. That’s around 17 years ago it started, but don’t misquote me on this, it is a hugely significant part of the innovation or design of e-commerce packaging, however I think I am valid in saying that its now, well and truly a part of the design process and no longer a trend. It’s essential, simply part of the expectation of brand alignment to ensure a consistent customer experience.
It’s certainly a fast paced and dynamic place to be working right now.
2024 is still going to be a hard slog
Whilst there has been significant progress in e-commerce packaging on increasing recyclability, the circular economy places this third of three. This is why with legislation and cost savings to achieve, reduce will become much more significant
Re use is already starting move
Meaning of trend in English
a general development or change in a situation or in the way that people are behaving: