Packaging - More than Meets the Eye

Packaging is what catches your eye in the cereal aisle at the grocery store. It's the reason you gravitate to those great headphones in the big box electronics store or that geegaw on the checkout counter at the 24-hour shop near your office. Packaging, or more accurately, packaging design, when well thought out and executed, speaks to you, the target audience, and draws you in. Colors, brand names, materials, fonts, inks, logos, taglines, and mission statements, often more than what the product actually is or does, will dictate your purchase.

Wikipedia's page for Packaging and Labeling provides an all-inclusive definition of the science, art and technology of packaging.

The materials used in packaging design are undergoing close scrutiny - unless you're growing all of your own food, you see evidence of this in the market every day. Sensible use of materials is being demanded by consumers and their advocates and in some countries mandated. Packaging designers and engineers must now consider the whole life of both the product and its packaging when proposing how that product will go to market - food, electronics, appliances, automobile parts, medicines - everything that is in-process, shipped, stored, consumed, exchanged, imported, or exported.

Items packaged safely, but with a minimum of packaging, are gaining popularity because of environmental considerations. Smart packaging is key and changes are being made daily. For amazing and innovative retail packaging ideas, head straight to The Dieline. Manufacturers of electronics and metals where corrosion or field defects may be a concern should consider the benefits of Intercept Technology Packaging as a solution. For cogent discussion on where packaging is headed, read The Packaging Diva's "Packaging News You Can Use" blog and join the discussion.

The Value of Intelligent Packaging

Packaging is a hot topic. Particularly when a new fancy cell phone or game platform is launched, or any computer product, there's a lot of buzz about packaging and how difficult the newer rigid plastics are to open or how over-packaged these (and other) items may or may not be. And obviously, with the green, eco, earth-friendly, environmental trend, packaging has been vilified as an unnecessary and wasteful landfill-clogger.

The movement toward economy in packaging is healthy, no doubt. The mantra reduce-reuse-recycle makes sense. The companies involved with the design and manufacture of packaging are hyper-aware of the rumbling by consumers. The fact remains, though, packaging itself is extremely valuable. The urge to label all packaging as bad is simply short-sighted.

With great packaging, the eggs you enjoy for breakfast remain whole and fresh until you cook them; the allergy medicine you keep in your desk is safe and retains its efficacy for when you need it most. No doubt about it: the safety and freshness of all the foods and medicines we ingest are due to proper packaging. In fact, the value of all products in the retail marketplace is greatly affected by packaging. Outside the retail realm there is smart packaging that keeps the individual components of computers, MRI scanners, space shuttles, airplanes and automobiles safe and ready for assembly, long before you see the final product.

Smart packaging is key, ideally beginning in the design stage of the product being packaged, through manufacturing, storage, shipment and use, so that entire process is focused on using the exact quantity and quality of materials required to protect the safety and functionality of the product. If the TV and each of its individual components have been properly packaged all the way from factory to consumer, the TV will function longer, meaning it will stay out of the landfill or recycle stream longer.

Intelligent packaging is being developed all over the world by companies and individuals who care about getting it right. It's not just about carbon footprint or monetary value. It's a delicate balance to reduce packaging materials, be aware of safety both within the manufacturing plant and for the consumer, ensure the whole life of the product being packaged, and maintain fiscal responsibility.