Packaging Trends: Reducing Costs And Improving Sustainability

Jorge Izquierdo, VP Market Development at PMMI — the association for packaging and process technologies — took time from his PACK EXPO 2014 schedule to discuss and review trends in primary and secondary packaging. In regard to secondary packaging, Izquierdo says corrugated packaging is currently the hottest trend with its key driver being consumers concerned with it being made from biodegradable, recyclable, and sustainable materials. When it comes to primary packaging, Izquierdo believes the current key trend is flexible packaging. This, in turn, creates the need for corrugated boxes. Izquierdo discusses other hot topics in packaging including: cost reduction, sustainability, traceability, print on demand, and retail-ready packaging.