Packaging Trends to Look Out for in 2022

01.13.22

Happy New Year! While the pandemic continues to exist, 2021 brought several new and exciting trends and innovations in the packaging world and beyond. The packaging landscape is constantly evolving and changing, so it is likely that even more new trends will arise in 2022. Many of these trends will fit into the larger trend of sustainable packaging, as consumers continue to demand eco-friendly products and processes and companies strive to hit their 2025 sustainability goals.

1. EXTENDED PRODUCER RESPONSIBILITY

Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) is a policy that increases accountability and responsibility for the management of packaging waste for companies. It does this by requiring manufacturers to help fund the collection and processing of packaging waste. Many countries, such as Canada and several European countries, as well as 10 U.S. states already have some form of EPR-related legislation, and it is likely that more U.S. states will begin adopting EPR laws in 2022.

As a result, many companies will be looking to make their packaging eco-friendly by reducing overall packaging material and/or ensuring that their packaging is fully recyclable. Felins has been offering sustainable packaging long before the concept of Extended Producer Responsibility even existed, and we will continue to do so. All of our packaging machinery is designed to minimize material use and many of our materials are fully recyclable.

2. E-COMMERCE PACKAGING

The pandemic triggered rapid growth in e-commerce, as consumers started to prefer contactless transactions along with the ease of having items ordered online and shipped to their homes. That growth is here to stay – in the first 3 quarters of 2021, e-commerce sales reached $613 billion, up 16% from the first 3 quarters of 2021. This growth is likely to continue in 2022, and along with it there will be growth in e-commerce packaging. With this growth, manufacturers will be looking for ways to reduce costs while simultaneously meeting consumer demands for sustainability. One way this can be accomplished is through banding. Visit the e-commerce page on our site to learn more.

3. REUSABLE PACKAGING

A new, exciting form of sustainable packaging that is likely to become more popular in 2022 is reusable packaging. Companies such as Loop and Algramo are leaders in the reusable packaging space, with programs in which consumers can reuse and refill common products rather than throwing them away, essentially eliminating packaging waste. Loop already has in-store operations in the U.S., Canada, U.K., France and Japan and will be expanding into more major stores such as Kroger and Walgreens this year.

Some companies are having a hard time making the switch and buying into these refill and reuse programs, so the company Upstream is developing and will be a releasing a software that allows food-service companies to easily compare costs of single-use packaging and reusable packaging. This software could accelerate the growth of reusable packaging.

4. BUNDLING

Along with growth in e-commerce, 2022 will likely bring an increase in bundling, in which brands can sell similar products together – think Amazon’s “Frequently bought together” feature. When done right, bundling can be a win-win for both the brand and the consumer, as they can allow the brand to make higher profit margins and allow the consumer to discover other products that would work well with the product that they were already considering purchasing. Bundling can increase profits for brands because there is not a fulfillment fee for each product.

Felins provides a wide range of bundling solutions. In fact, bundling is what our company was founded on 100 years ago, and we are happy to help with any of your bundling needs.

Overall, packaging trends in 2022 will be focused on providing an excellent experience for the customer while reducing environmental impact and increasing profits. To learn more about how Felins has been well ahead of these trends, explore our website or contact us today!