4 packaging trends to boost your business in 2021

2020 was a year of rapidly changing demands and challenges for the packaging industry. However, the crisis created by the COVID-19 pandemic has also created an e-commerce boom spurring innovation in packaging design, strategy and technology.

As we say goodbye to 2020 and look towards the new year ahead, we’ve put together a roundup of the biggest upcoming packaging trends. These are the trends to embrace this year for the benefit of your business.

1. Extra protective packaging

2020 saw a huge proportion of consumers move their shopping habits online. Now bricks and mortar stores have reopened, but many people have realised they value the ease and convenience of shopping via e-commerce.  For many people, this shift in consumer behaviour is here to stay.

Consequently, many businesses have found they’re suddenly in need of extra protective packaging to ensure their products survive supply chain journeys to arrive at customers’ homes intact.

At PPI, advanced custom protective packaging is our specialty. No matter the unusual shape of your product or what material it’s made from, our designers and engineers can create a supportive, protective, custom packaging solution.

2. Multi-use packaging

In 2020, many of us found ourselves ordering a lot more products direct to our doors than we had before, resulting in a chronically full recycling bin from all of those oversized boxes.

Forward thinking brands are counteracting this problem by building a second use into their product packaging. When executed well, multi-use packaging can build a sense of fun and excitement around your brand and make your product extra memorable for consumers.

Samsung recently released TV packaging that can be easily upcycled into magazine racks and fancy cat houses, while Pizza Hut got creative with a box that turns your smartphone into a movie projector.

Chat with us at PPI about your wildest multi-use packaging ideas and our expert team will work with you to make them a reality.

3. Completely recyclable materials

Consumers are conscious that the pandemic has been a setback in the global fight against single-use plastic and landfill waste. 2020 saw re-usable coffee cups abandoned in favour of their single-use counterparts, not to mention the countless disposable surgical masks that have been produced and discarded in the past year. 

Having seen these backslides in sustainability, consumers are keen to feel like they’re doing something to help. Enter your brand’s fully recyclable packaging! Customers are searching for a purchase they can feel good about and choosing your brand over your non-recyclable competitor will be an appealing option.

With plastic and polystyrene free protective packaging from PPI, going recyclable is easy.

4. Socially conscious messaging

Does your current packaging really show the world what your business stands for? In the current climate of social movements, consumers are increasingly expecting brands to wear their hearts on their sleeves, or on their boxes.

A simple update to your packaging printing allows your business to broadcast your values to your target market, with potential to tap into a whole new customer base who share your ideals.

At PPI, our in-house team of packaging designers and engineers will work with you to understand your packaging needs. We offer cutting edge solutions that are economical, protective and environmentally friendly.

Connect with us or call us now on 1800 25 8000 to book your FREE initial packaging consultation in Melbourne. We’ll work to ensure your packaging requirements are met, if not exceeded