A land of 23 million at the bottom of the planet, addressing packaging issues – what are the chances of global success? In all humility, the chances are good, relative to our resources.
I recently had the privilege of judging over 300 packaging entries from around the world at the World Packaging Conference in Singapore. To enter, each entry had to have already won a packaging award in their home country. They were the best of the best.
What were the different trends in packaging design in different world markets?
The quality of printing and paper from China and India were exceptional. From Western Europe and Brazil are back to basic materials, increased use of recycled materials, continuing light weighting and sustainable choices. Industrial scale designs that minimise waste and protect food materials were the highlights from India and Bangladesh.
Korea, Scandinavia and Japan provided unique technological innovations that allow the packaging to relate to customers through smartphones, Facebook or other smart technologies. The Americans are transitioning many products from rigid to flexible packaging and PVC to PET.
Central Africa has its own challenges of poverty and high population growth and developing packaging to fill basic life needs is perhaps the greatest challenge of all regions.
Next, pharmaceutical packaging focused on waste and dosage control, while electronic packaging from Korea epitomises the global environmental demands and the worldwide supply chain for mass market, fragile goods. Industrial packaging for the automotive and consumer electrical industries continues to be refined, based on minimising waste and for knock-down and reuse.
Packaging designs from around the world reflect the wealth, population growth and needs of the country of origin. In all areas of design, minimising waste in its many forms is seen as the most efficient way to improved, sustainable solutions.
Sustainable materials and design are no longer a novelty but the ticket to the game for which there is no price premium paid. Without these basics, your package will not be accepted by the consumer of the future.
Winners of World Star Packaging Awards are regarded with prestige in Asia, especially in China. Australia is part of the global packaging community and there’s no better place to have our innovation and skill on display than at the Australian Packaging Awards.
After seeing the quality of the winners at the recent Australian Packaging Awards, I suspect that if they had entered the world event, the majority would have rated highly. And I’m not on my own. There were 20 judges from around the world at the Australian awards and they recognised clear levels of innovation, as well as the practical use of materials in appropriate quantities, helping to meet some of the longest supply chains in Australia.
I would therefore encourage all packaging companies to put their best forward for industry awards and be recognised for the skills they possess.
Ralph Moyle, national president, Australian Institute of Packaging