Packaging & Design

The packaging sector is experiencing exceptional growth, so much so that it is expected to reach $1.2 billion by 2026. In 2023, the global packaging market was mainly influenced by the food sector, with a share of 46.8%.

Furthermore, 71% of European consumers prefer sustainable materials and 91% of American consumers, according to a recent study, are willing to pay more for environmentally friendly packaging, which will have a global market exceeding $393 billion by 2028.

On November 22, 2023, the European Parliament approved a law on recycling and reducing packaging, since the forecast of a 15% reduction by 2040 was considered unsatisfactory.

In packaging, the digital realm has established itself for being adapted to e-commerce, which will be increasingly calibrated to the size of the contents.

A virtuous example is the Umbrian company CMC, the leader in the customized packaging sector, which saved 340 thousand tons of CO2 emissions, 194 thousand tons of cardboard, and 43 million cubic meters of packaging and filling materials in 2022.

The change in demand favors the growth of the packaging machinery market globally which, according to the 2023 World Packaging Machinery report by PMMI Business Intelligence, will go from $45.9 billion in 2023 to $56 billion in 2027 with a CAGR of 5%.

Automated machines guarantee high safety standards and increase efficiency during the packaging process. Additionally, intuitive interfaces allow time reduction and better productivity.

For food packaging, Europe is among the leaders, being at the forefront of innovation and research, and, according to the MECS - Ucima Research Center, the Italian industry in the sector exceeded the threshold of €9 billion in 2023, with its exports representing 81.3% of revenues.

Future scenarios see additive manufacturing technology offering customized solutions from 2028. Augmented Reality will shape packaging design with engaging and interactive experiences. The introduction of AI will change design, production, and interaction with the consumer, reducing errors by 30% and improving production efficiency by 20%. QR codes, Near Field Communication (NFC), sensors, and RFID tags guarantee product safety by allowing customization, traceability, and communication between consumers and producers. According to Grand View Research, smart packaging will have revenues of around $27 billion in 2024.

Additionally, biometric packaging which can be adapted, for example, to the size and shape of the hand will allow for design increasingly focused on the person. Collaborative robotics, advanced automation, big data, additive manufacturing, and IoT, are the new frontiers of packaging design and will allow companies to secure leadership.