Innovation in packaging is a differential of the brands of the future Indaiá Pasotti Sanchez is a specialist in packaging engineering at Instituto Mauá de Tecnologia and a specialist in R&D products at Ibema.

Those companies in the packaging industry need to project the future to offer innovative alternatives that result in end-consumer satisfaction. And this applies to both the food service and cosmetics, hygiene and retail sectors in general, in a movement that, according to the Brazilian Packaging Association (ABRE) can leverage the sector by 1.6% by 2024. Brand owners invest millions in packaging circularity, something that is required by the final consumer and by the legislation itself.

The industry has developed innovative packaging initiatives, motivated by post-pandemic consumer demand.

To get there, the more the raw material manufacturer and packaging designer know the needs of the end user, the better. This close contact will be the basis for the R&D team to bring real advances and improvements to the user experience.

This is because, before a launch reaches the public, it takes years of research and preparation, in tune with the desires and wishes of this consumer who is much more demanding today, especially after the pandemic. They include greater sustainability, practicality and resource savings.

Questions in the pandemic

It was during the isolation period that we understood the amount of waste we actually generate and began to question the destination of this waste. As a consumer, I want to know what will be done with the packaging of shampoo I use, toothpaste and other items that are difficult to recycle.

And the question for research and innovation professionals is: can't we have simpler packaging that enters the reuse chain more easily?

Packaging sustainability

If we think of a biodegradable alternative like paper, it can be developed in weights suitable for packaging anything - with the application of the proper barrier, of course!

For food packaging, we know that moisture and grease pose protection challenges. Therefore, the industry invests heavily to solve the problem with biodegradable barriers, that is, that eliminate the traditional plastic. This is also where repulping technology comes in, which involves advanced research that has proven to be a viable alternative for the packaging of the future.

In the field of cosmetics, there are also legal requirements to avoid contamination of packaged products, since these are products used directly on the skin. As a result, restrictions become more stringent.

Innovation and creativity

For companies in the packaging sector, the basic idea is to always be ahead with innovation, in order to bring insights to brand owners. The market is so aware of this that it has awarded packaging cases with a focus on sustainability, such as the National Innovation Award and the ABRE Award, among others.

With creativity, innovation and dedication from all players, from industry to consumer, we can imagine a world without waste and more sustainable.