The 40th annual Student and accompanying Schools Starpacks were presented at Rotherham's Magna Science Adventure Centre, with the judges "highly impressed" by the entry standard. There were 101 entries in the Student Starpacks addressing nine briefs written and sponsored by the packaging industry itself "in recognition of the importance of packaging in today's world as well as the need for nurturing young talents".
The judging panel, chaired by GlaxoSmithKline senior packaging project manager Sarah Divanbeigi, awarded five Golds, 16 Silvers, 11 Bronzes and nine commended awards overall to students from nine colleges.
Divanbeigi said: "All student entrants this year have picked up on the trends of modern living, designing for busy lifestyles where time is at a premium and households have fewer people living in them."
Gold Student Starpack winners included Sheffield Hallam University's Alison Wilson, Hull College of Art & Design's Eric Joweti and Norwich School of Art & Design's Tom Purcell, Deborah Balls and Peter Nunn.
Entries in the School Starpack Awards were dubbed "equally impressive". Entrants, divided into Key Stage 3, Key Stage 4 and AS level categories, submitted work under two briefs, "Feet First Company", requiring them to devise designs to raise the 'teen' profile of a trainer company, and "Fascination", a brief asking them to package a toiletry of their choice using cartonboard.
Whitby College's entrants' "colourful, eye-catching and innovative designs, professional presentation and good use of mind-mapping" secured it the BPI Award for the school with the highest overall entry standard.
