The packaging industry is rapidly transforming, driven by sustainability, digitization, and consumer demands. 

This article briefly discusses the latest developments in the packaging industry, the trends, and how packaging will look in the next few years.

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Trend 1: Nano-composites Food Packaging

The need for food packaging that can preserve contents and prevent oxidation and spoilage leads to innovative solutions like nanocomposites. This development also opens gates for various applications in food safety, recyclability, and self-healing packaging.

Entities working on Nanocomposites in Packaging Industry

Collaborations in Nanocomposites for Food Packaging

Haydale and NeoEnpla: Haydale is a British tech and material group that supplies functionalized Graphene Nano-platelets (GNPs) to NeoEnpla, a startup for creating food storage zipper bags and biodegradable plastic bags.

We also saw cross-industry collaborations in this domain. For instance, Nanocor and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical collaborated to develop nylon nanocomposites as a barrier layer for multi-layer PET bottles. These bottles can potentially package liquors like beer and small carbonated soft-drink beverages.

Nanocor and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical collaboration for nanocomposites for food packaging
Nanocor and Mitsubishi Gas Chemical collaboration

Nanocomposite Packaging Materials Approved by UK and EU Government

Monolayer packaging films: Since using multiple layers in current packaging products makes the recycling process more complex, there has been a noticeable increase in both interest and funding for innovation projects to create monolayer packaging films.

Biopolymer: Research in nano-enabled packaging has shifted from Ag (silver) and TiO2 (Titanium Dioxide) nanoparticles in polymer matrices of LDPE (Low-density Polyethylene) and PVC to bio-based nanoparticles such as nanocellulose and Chitin/chitosan-based nanoparticles to form nanocomposites with desired properties.

Esterified Nanocomposite Film: The packaging industry, especially for food and beverage packaging, is focused on functional advancements of the material. Some sought-after qualities include barrier properties, strength, and resistance to logistic stresses. 

In this area, researchers from Shanghai Ocean University significantly contributed by developing an esterified nanocomposite film with preservation properties. The film is eco-friendly, safe, and reliable.

It is made from modified carboxymethyl nano cellulose (CMNC), which is antibacterial and oxidation-resistant. The base material used is polybutylene adipate/terephthalate (PBAT), a degradable material that adds antibacterial and oxidant properties to the film.

These researchers have also filed a patent (CN114410077A) to protect their innovation.

Nanocomposites Around The Globe

Patent filings in Nanocomposites for Food Packaging are at an all-time high.

Patent Filing trend in Nanocomposites

Nanocomposites have drawn the attention of business organizations and government bodies worldwide. Recognizing this, the European Union recently funded research projects focused on Packaging technology that employs Nano-enabled bio-based materials to upscale their market applications.

Due to its ability to strengthen the base polymer’s mechanical properties, Andaltec Plastics Technology Center, a non-profit private foundation headquartered in Spain, uses nano-composites to create self-healing thermoplastics. The outcomes of this initiative hold significant potential for diverse applications, particularly in industries like automotive and aeronautics.

Recommended Report: 10 Companies to Revolutionize Sustainable Packaging in 2025

Trend 2: Smart Packaging

Consumers desire greater visibility into the manufacturing process as they grow increasingly mindful of the products they use. Smart packaging emerges as a solution to address this need.

Companies are embracing smart packaging to enhance customer engagement by providing transparency into food conditions and prolonging shelf life.

Smart packaging further comprises three trends, i.e., active, intelligent, and connected. Active packaging has gained attention for its impressive ability to reduce food and water wastage by 1.1 million tons and 314 billion gallons. The user base of connected packaging has grown from 54% in 2022 to 81% in 2023.

Active Packaging

Research in active and intelligent packaging is centered around the utilization of nano-composites to enhance the shelf-life of perishable goods. The versatility of these materials allows for easy modification to provide the desired properties to the packaging layer, thereby improving consumables’ longevity and storage capabilities.

Furthermore, these innovative packaging solutions have gained popularity as governments prioritize their use to combat food wastage. 

Tracking Food Freshness with pH Response Label

Researchers at Northeast Forestry University have developed a food label that effectively monitors the freshness of packaged food items, including meat and seafood. 

This advancement involves creating a pH-responsive label film reinforced with nano-silica and specific plasticizers such as starch, carrageenan, cellulose nanowhiskers, and nano-silicon dioxide. Incorporating nano-silicon dioxide in the film is a protective barrier against UV light. 

The study revealed that the developed film exhibited enhanced optical properties, such as high haze and light transmittance, enabling better identification of color changes in the intelligent film. Furthermore, notable improvements were observed in the film’s mechanical properties, including tensile strength, elongation at break, barrier properties, and water vapor transmission.

Connected Packaging 

In Europe, approximately one of every eight food products is suspected of being counterfeit. The sale of counterfeit medications causes an estimated annual loss of $150 billion. These fake goods increasingly affect the food, beverages, and pharmaceutical industries.

As a result, anti-counterfeit packaging, such as UV technology-based hologram labels, has gained significant attention within the connected packaging domain.

UV Technology-based Hologram Labels

Holostik, an India-based hologram company, has developed a range of holograms for anti-counterfeit purposes. Their 3D label, featuring embossing and UV technology, helps companies ensure easy-to-verify product authenticity. The labels protect against fraud in industries like nutraceutical and protein powders, where counterfeits have caused significant damage.

Entities working on smart Packaging

Collaborations in Smart Packaging

AMD & Skipso: The American Multinational Semiconductor company AMD, in collaboration with Skipso, an innovation management platform, launched “AMB D2BD,” an innovation program specifically targeting startups working on smart packaging solutions and enhanced shelf-life quality.

WayCool & IIT: Waycool, an Indian Agritech startup, and the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Hyderabad have signed a 3-year memorandum of understanding (MoU) to improve the shelf-life of food packaging materials through biopolymers. As part of this collaboration, WayCool agreed to invest approximately $25,000 for three years in this partnership.

Government Involvement with Smart Packaging

In addition to significant investment and funding from other businesses and industries, the Governments of the United States and the European Union are also actively promoting the development of smart packaging solutions due to their favorable environmental impact.

One such project is GLOPACK.

Project GLOPACK

Granting society with LOw environmental impact innovative PACKaging (GLOPACK) is a European Union-funded project under the Horizon 2020 program to develop sustainable food packaging solutions. The project addresses plastic pollution and the need for more efficient food preservation methods.

Innovative technologies and products developed under GLOPACK include biodegradable and home-compostable packaging made from agro-food residues, active bio-packaging that enhances food preservation without additives, and intelligent packaging incorporating battery-free RFID bio-sensors to track food freshness. The biodegradable packaging is designed to break down naturally in the environment, reducing the ecological footprint. At the same time, the active and intelligent features help maintain food quality and safety over a longer period.

The European Union has generously contributed €5,560,785.47 towards this proposal, with a total estimated cost of €6,658,650.36.

Trend 3: Circular Packaging

The growing emphasis on sustainability and the circular economy has pushed the packaging industry towards recyclable and bio-based solutions. 

Governments worldwide, including the USA, Canada, and Europe, have also implemented regulations to promote circular packaging practices. This regulatory push has created a favorable environment for businesses to adopt circular packaging and align with the principles of the circular economy.

Notably, there is a significant focus on Cellulose and chitosan-based packaging, accounting for about 30% of the patents in this area. These materials have gained the industry’s attention because of their availability, mass production feasibility, and good biodegradable properties.

However, improvements in their mechanical, thermal, and barrier properties are necessary. Evidently, about 40% of the patents in this domain are dedicated to achieving these enhancements.

Extracting Cellulose Nanocrystals from Paper and Pulp Industry Waste Sludge

Melodea, an Israel-based company, has successfully developed a system to extract cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) from paper and pulp industry waste sludge. These CNCs exhibit exceptional resistance to high humidity and effectively safeguard the packaged contents against oil, grease, water, and oxygen. Serving as a sustainable substitute for plastic and aluminum, these nanocrystals are employed in the production of paper-based packaging materials. The primary focus of the company is on utilizing cellulose nanocrystals to develop non-toxic barrier-coated paper-based food packaging products.

Chitosan-Lignin-Ramie Fiber Composite Ideal For Meat Packaging

Researchers from Shandong University and Qingdao University in China have collaborated on a study focused on enhancing the tensile strength and thermal stability of packaging film for meat using Chitosan-Lignin-Ramie fiber composites.

The findings revealed that including ramie fiber (20 wt%) significantly increased the film’s tensile strength by 29.6%. Moreover, adding lignin (20 wt%) enhanced the film’s antioxidant activity by 288% and reduced water absorption by 41.2%. 

Entities working on Circular Packaging

Collaborations in Circular Packaging

Scientex & SABIC: SABIC is an Arabian chemical manufacturing company partnered with Scientex, a Malaysian plastic manufacturing company, to develop packaging materials using advanced recycled ocean-bound plastics (OBP). This collaborative effort incorporates SABIC’s certified circular polypropylene (PP) to create sustainable packaging solutions.

Flexible Packaging Association & University of Florida: The Flexible Packaging Association is a prominent advocate and representative of the U.S. flexible packaging industry. It has joined forces with the University of Florida to develop the Regenerative Robust Gasification process. This innovative collaboration aims to convert challenging-to-recycle packaging materials into valuable methanol, which can be used as a feedstock.

Government Funding and Government-Private associations

The Government of Canada is investing $8.2 million to support the scaling of sustainability operations in the food packaging industry. Sustainable food packaging solution provider Friendlier has received a $500,000 investment from the Government of Canada to standardize its reusable takeout packaging system nationwide. 

Unified Flex Packaging Technologies (UFPT) has also received a significant investment of $4 million from the Government of Canada to expand the manufacturing of recyclable films used in food packaging and pouches. 

Meanwhile, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a $9.5 million investment to support the growth of sustainable bioproduct manufacturing in the country. Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University have been awarded funding for a project to convert food waste, including packaging materials, into biodegradable bioplastics.

In the UK, Innovate UK has allocated up to £2.5 million from the Smart Sustainable Plastic Packaging Programme to fund early-stage and mid-stage projects in circular packaging.

These government initiatives from different continents demonstrate a significant interest in and commitment to transitioning towards circular packaging. As a result, more government-private partnerships in this domain will emerge soon.

Trend 4: Thermal Packaging

The food and pharmaceutical sectors are diligently working to maintain product integrity, extend shelf life, and prevent contamination. Ongoing innovations, such as advanced temperature-controlled packaging solutions and the development of new materials, are crucial steps in this direction. These advancements ensure that products remain safe and effective throughout the supply chain, enhance overall efficiency, and reduce waste.

Recent patent filings show an increased focus and trend on insulated packaging in the food and pharmaceutical industries. 67% of patents in thermal insulation packaging focus on the food and beverage sector, whereas the pharmaceutical and medical domain accounts for 30% of the patents.

PET Bottle Cover with Vacuum Insulation

Pearl Metal company in Japan is developing a PET bottle cover (JP2022165327A) with a vacuum insulation structure to retain heat. It will keep beverages warm for extended periods. The design features an exposed spout and a second opening that exposes the bottle’s mouthpiece.

PET bottle cover with a vacuum insulation

The bottom of the cover is attachable and detachable from the main opening, and a vacuum extends from the PET bottle’s side surface over to the drinking mouth. 

This innovative configuration effectively enables PET bottles to maintain the temperature of hot beverages for prolonged durations.

Temperature Controlling Containers for Beverages

Novelis Incorporation, headquartered in the USA, is developing an aluminum beverage can (WO2022217216A1) to control the beverage’s temperature.

This is accomplished using a configuration consisting of a beverage container with a container body and end. The container body includes an outer and inner wall. The inner wall is positioned within the outer cavity, creating a space between the top and bottom ends of the container body. This results in thermal insulation that aids in temperature regulation.

Further, the body’s top attaches to the container end, which covers the inner cavity’s opening.

This arrangement of the outer and inner walls reduces thermal conductivity, effectively controlling the beverage’s temperature.

Entities Working on Thermal Packaging

Collaborations in Thermal Packaging

SOFRIGAM & CATHAY PACIFIC: Sofrigram is a French packaging company that collaborated with Cathay Pacific, an international airline, to integrate intelligent temperature logging systems to swiftly and securely transport highly temperature-sensitive COVID-19 vaccines.

Cold Chain Technologies & B Medical Systems: Cold Chain Technologies is a United States-based packaging firm that joined forces with B Medical Systems, a global manufacturer and distributor of medical-grade devices, to provide comprehensive thermal packaging and stationary refrigeration solutions specifically designed for temperature-critical applications.

Smurfit Kappa & Mindful Chef (recyclable insulation packs): Smurfit Kappa is a prominent packaging company based in Ireland. It has joined forces with Mindful Chef, a meal kit retailer in London, to create recyclable corrugated cardboard insulation packs.

The insulation pack is entirely recyclable, meeting sustainability goals. Moreover, this innovative solution effectively sustains the required temperatures for an extended duration (maintaining temperatures below 8°C for over 30 hours) while reducing the carbon footprint by 30% compared to previous packaging alternatives.

Since healthy eating is emerging as a global trend, the need for thermal insulation packaging to sustain food products’ freshness and nutritive qualities has increased.

Thermal packaging offers enhanced convenience and peace of mind for manufacturers, distributors, and end users. It helps with efficient product transportation and preservation.

By prioritizing eco-friendly practices, thermal packaging minimizes resource consumption and fosters environmental responsibility. This trend paves the way for a greener future with a more sustainable and responsible product transportation and preservation paradigm.

Download our Packaging Trend Report today to learn what packaging trends will look like and how they will impact other industries.

Authored By: Ambuj and Sushant, Patent Intelligence

Edited By: Ridhima, Marketing

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