Unleashing innovation

Two major challenges faced by the UK packaging industry include the difficulty in bringing innovations to market and the need to balance the competing demands of creating lightweight, environmentally friendly packaging while ensuring adequate product protection.

These aren’t entirely unrelated problems. The difficulty in bringing new innovations to market means those advances that enable manufacturers to meet both environmental and product protection requirements aren’t being introduced as readily as they should be. The good news is that adopting a different approach to innovation has the power to fix these problems and unleash the true potential of our industry.

Adopting the right mindset

Changing the industry’s approach to innovation isn’t a simple task. There are some barriers to innovation about which little can be done, such as the size of the UK industry, which has resulted in many UK packaging firms overlooking their domestic market because of a perceived lack of opportunity, and instead launching new products in the US.

However, there are changes that can be made, from adopting mindsets conducive to new innovations, to changing our approach to the design process.

One unhelpful mindset involves fear of the unknown. In other words, the idea that consumers will always opt for familiar solutions and shun new designs. A pervading belief is that the shopper who always buys an item in a glass bottle will seek out a familiar bottle when confronted with the same item in a recyclable pouch, for example.

There’s perhaps an element of truth in this, but retailers should be guarded against allowing this idea to stifle their exploration of potential new pack solutions. Instead, it should be remembered that every item on the store shelf was once a new innovation that subsequently gained widespread acceptance from shoppers. Retailers shouldn’t fear being bold when presented with new pack designs offering clear consumer benefits. There’s every chance that playing it safe could prove dangerous if it results in a continued unwillingness to roll out designs. This is especially true for new pack solutions that have the potential to become both popular and profitable.

Innovative approach

Additionally, the fact that many brand owners use separate manufacturers for containers and lids poses problems for packaging companies. For firms offering a complete design solution, this means considerable time must be spent outlining technological advantages with various marketing and product development teams.

In fact, even prior to this stage, innovation can be hampered by brands’ approach to design. All too often, there is great focus on developing an innovative pack design, in a bid to ensure on-shelf cut-through, which is let down by simply adding a generic screw cap to the final solution.

With brands increasingly seeking ways to distinguish their products from supermarket own label products, it makes real sense for manufacturers to give greater consideration to innovative closures, in order to improve on-shelf presence.

In fact, manufactures should begin to give equal consideration to the closure and container from the outset, which could result in greater freedom for the design team and help to improve product functionality.

Despite the existing barriers to innovation, determination on behalf of packaging manufacturers means creative pack solutions are being launched in the UK, offering benefits both to consumers and in environmental terms.

Examples include foil seals inside caps to provide tamper evidence, which eliminates the need for a tamper band and allows knurling around the neck to be removed.

These closures also enable blown containers to be reconstructed, with potential weight savings of between 25 and 40%. In yet another win-win, this cuts costs as well as reducing carbon emissions throughout the production process.

The integration of the protective foil within the container neck additionally provides a barrier against counterfeiting, meaning complete consumer confidence, as well as product safety and protection of brand credibility.

Managing the challenge

It would be wrong to downplay the difficulty the industry faces in balancing environmental and product protection benefits. Indeed, manufacturers not only have to consider green issues and product protection, but also ease of use, seal integrity and affordability – retailers know the dangers of presuming shoppers will be prepared to pay large premiums for environmentally friendly products.

However, with innovative packaging solutions increasingly being developed, these challenges can be managed.

Easing the passage for innovations to market can address these challenges – and the environment, retailers, consumers and the packaging industry are all set to benefit.

Views expressed on this page are those of the author and may not be shared by this publication.