I love you, neither do I. This is how the challenges of the packaging market and packaging trends could be summed up.

The packaging seems to concentrate all of our existential contradictions. Adored by some, decried by others who may sometimes be the same!

It is not easy to understand and identify packaging trends and above all to define a coherent and winning marketing strategy for packaging professionals. We therefore scoured the packaging blogs, press reviews, packaging trends across all sectors to get a precise idea of the needs of the packaging market as well as the solutions available to packaging manufacturers to develop their sales.

Your 4 flagship packaging trends

Here are a few tracks  that we suggest you consider to develop your packaging sales despite the ambient "packaging bashing" while meeting demand and staying in tune with current packaging trends.

Creating more environmental friendly packaging 

This is indeed the great packaging trend that brings together all players in the packaging industry. The carbon footprint of a pack should be below the previous pack while at least fulfilling the same function. Packaging innovation necessarily involves one or more of these avenues:

> Use of recycled raw materials
> Reduced packaging weight
> Possibility of refill either by cartridge or refill
> Reuse of packaging in another context

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A second green packaging trend is part of the company's CSR policy. While most manufacturers have successes to showcase, too many of them fail to disclose them.

Know how to communicate about your virtuous investments:

> Energy-efficient production machines
> Use of clean energy
> Heat recovery from hydraulic production circuits for office heating
> Reduced water consumption
> Relocation of production reducing distances and greenhouse gas emissions linked to transport
> Production directly on your customers' site

Hear the eco-responsible expectations of the market without letting yourself be polluted by extremist or dogmatist positions that often turn out to be economic aberrations.

In fact, packaging is more and more virtuous, but it cannot do everything. The recycling channels have to ensure the end of life of the packaging as well as the transformation into reusable raw material.

For example, engaging in collaboration with recycling players will provide added value to your customers, consumers and end users.

There will always be voices calling for the outright removal of packaging. But this is to ignore the fact that packaging has multiple functions such as protection, safety of use, distribution, dosage, enhancement and preservation.

Protect the oceans and the water cycles 

The images of turtles suffocated by plastic waste or those of the 7th continent of plastic are shocking.

Micro-particles of plastic float in the air we breathe and are found on the ice floe, which is far from any place of industrial production.

Far from turning a blind eye, the packaging industries and the plastics industry in particular have taken on the problem head on. Also, the "packaging innovation" departments within the brands, associated with the R&D departments at the packaging producers, work together to manage the end of life of the packaging.

Their objective is to square the circle to satisfy consumers demanding ever more protection, hygiene, safety, traceability and citizens concerned about their health and that of the planet.

The packaging market sector finds itself in true speaking terms while contributing locally to reducing the spread of polluting waste.

> Be proud to communicate on your technological advances which help reduce the environmental impact
> Remind your consumers that their eco-citizen conscience obliges them to participate themselves in sorting and recycling
> Why not set up business projects involving your teams in the local clean-up of rivers, beaches or reefs?
> Consider the use of materials, substances or packaging that do not pollute, are truly compostable or that dissolve in water

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Speak up and loud by opting for storytelling

You have surely noticed that among the major current packaging trends, your customers have integrated their environmental commitments into their communication strategy. Beyond a simple marketing argument, this becomes an essential positioning to reach and retain a growing share of users and consumers.

On the packaging supplier side, storytelling allows you to script your eco-responsible actions to make them a real added value. It facilitates the understanding of your actions by your customers and participates in the growth of your community.

Talk to all layers of the packaging market, remembering:

> The indispensable nature of the packaging. Whether for transport, presentation, preservation or dosage of the product it contains.
> All your actions relating to recycling, the use of post-consumed raw materials, your reductions in water consumption, your energy savings.
> That you do more than your part in the common effort by specifying all the aspects where you do better than the regulatory standards.

This storytelling strategy allows you to tell more about yourself, your values, your story. Actually, you will stand out and show who you are more than a "packaging manufacturer". It shows that you face these big issues with responsibility, commitment and determination.

Engage your winning Digital Marketing strategy and optimize your added value

Your marketing and sales departments are responsible for integrating this eco-responsibility as an added value into your brand image.

They have at their disposal all the levers of Digital Marketing to engage your storytelling and interact with your prospects, your customers, but also the users and consumers of your packaging solutions.

Some suggestions to reassure market players:

> Tell a story that arouses emotion and therefore consideration
> Engage your communities behind your ambitious projects
> Educate consumers and users on rebalancing environmental responsibilities
> Support your arguments with conviction, force using hard evidence

You've developed your storytelling. You are going to disseminate it widely to educate the consciences and grow your position in the packaging market. Digital Marketing is the ideal and economical way to disseminate your values, ideas and concepts.

You will be able to:

> Generate and educate more prospects about your brand
> Increase the frequency of requests for business proposals
> Boost the productivity of your sales representatives and accelerate your sales
> Grow your community on which you rely to spread your values
> Convert your best customers into ambassadors
> Talk to your consumers and users of your products

The packaging market is going through a period of turbulence that sometimes even faces head-on oppositions. To face this, the integration of Digital Marketing is a major strategic opportunity that should not be overlooked on pain of disqualification. By integrating Digital Marketing processes as well as customer relationship management tools, packaging manufacturers have the ability to win this battle.

Top Packaging trends to develop your packaging sales

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