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Microgarden – the new way of growing greens at home Swedish design studio Tomorrow Machine partnered up with the Berlin-based indoor farming start up INFARM to develop a never- before-seen indoor growing kit – so anyone can grow their own microgreens at home. The Microgarden kit contains a reusable and renewable sheet of plastic which folds into a self-contained greenhouse.

Retail and packaging are being radically reshaped by megatrends and the growing volume of online commerce, says Mikko Rissanen , Business Development Director, Label, Pack & Release. “Daily retailing and the market for Fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) products will likely move towards online commerce. Selling groceries and brewery products online is not a big business yet, but it will certainly grow in the future. The transformation is ongoing, but its impact on the packaging industry won’t be visible until later.” Packaging design is currently focused on attracting and persuading consumers to purchase products from store shelves. “The increasing volume of online commerce will highlight the importance of brands because consumers are making their decisions basedmore on brand image and previous user experience rather than the visual appearance of the packaging. However, brand recognition will remain an important attribute and products need to look the same at the point of delivery as in the physical stores.” Rissanen adds that ageing populations in industrialised countries is another key trend that is influencing the packaging industry. “The percentage of single-person households is constantly growing. Packaging sizes are therefore decreasing while demand for pharmacy and hygiene products is growing.” UPM’s packaging portfolio includes packaging papers as well as label and release materials. “We currently operate in the flexible packaging segment. Our paper products offer good synergies together with our labelling materials business,” Rissanen notes. The steadily growing number of urbanisedmiddle- class consumers means that shoppers are switching frommarkets to supermarkets. More products have to be packed and personalised and their whole logistics chain has to be fully traceable. “Our materials that go into self-adhesive products are used for applications such as package and product identification. This is our home turf, so growth in this field is great for our future prospects.” Rissanen confirms that UPMhas worked hard to increase the sustainability of its labelling material products. “We have improved our paper release liner recycling and developed thinner labelling products that will decrease the amount of waste.” In production, UPMuses renewable and certified rawmaterials. “The efficient use of energy and water also offers sustainability and cost advantages. In logistics we are looking for the most sustainable solution for our transportation.”

Mikko Rissanen

Personalised production IT and digital printing technology

Mining social media Nylander says that people are becoming more willing to provide information about their consumer habits via social

have increased opportunities for personalising packaging products, which can now be printed in smaller editions. This trend

media, which provides a valuable source of behind-

the-scenes data. She claims that younger

Noora Nylander

generations no longer trust brand messaging but they willingly share consumer information and their user experiences in the social media. “When we design products we search for information about certain target groups by browsing Instagram photos where people share pictures of their homes or how they use products. From the designers’ perspective this kind of visual observation offers in-depth understanding of the target group.” While most information is migrating to the internet, Nylander believes that packaging will survive as a print media, with intelligent packages and tags delivering digital information between consumers and producers. “Brand owners and the packaging industry should try to leverage information from social media more efficiently. Now, most companies are simply content to deliver information through their web pages or social media channels.”

helps to decrease mass production and boost small-scale fabrication. Chadwick predicts that digital printing will not replace analogue printing but instead both technologies will complement each other. “Analogue technology will be used in printed packages that are fabricated in bulk. However, digital printing is linked to the sustainability trend as it allows shorter runs with fewer consumed raw materials. That is a big plus for brands.” Digital printing has brought the packaging industry into the heart of marketing campaigns as well. Major print manufacturers are boldly investing in this field. “By using digital and 3D printing or laser cutting technology it is possible to produce small quantities cost efficiently. Instead of investing in huge production facilities these new technologies can provide a more flexible alternative. For example, there are several materials that can be used in 3D printing now,” adds Nylander.

Shopping goes online

Packaging design is currently focused on

attracting and persuading consumers to purchase products from store shelves.

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