The Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) will once again hold its highly successful National Technical Forums alongside AUSPACK on Wednesday the 17th and Thursday the 18th of June 2009.
The theme for the two-day event will be Packaging MEGA Trends and will focus on key trends within the packaging industry.
With over 300 people expected to attend over the two days the forums are a must-attend on the 2009 calendar.
Packaging Magazine has collaborated with the Australian Institute of Packaging to identify the Packaging Mega Trends of 2009.
Some of these include:
- Sustainability
- Bioplastics versus traditional plastics
- In store Merchanidising
- Private Label
- Openability
- Surefresh
- Carton technology
- Contract Packaging
Over the next five weeks, www.packagingmag.com.au continues a special focus on each individually.
Openability
Arthritis Australia CEO Ainslie Cahill believes the packaging industry must soon face up to the issue of openability.
“According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, 1 in 3 Australians (7.3 million people) will be aged over 50 by 2011,” she says.
“This age group will grow to more than 44 per cent of the population by 2050. The ageing population brings with it a range of economic and social changes, including increased chronic illness, such as arthritis, and disability."
"Baby boomers demand quality services and products and, as they age, will not tolerate products that don’t meet their needs. This includes packaging.”
“Unless manufacturers address the issue of hard-to-open, hard-to-read and hard-to-carry packaging, they stand to lose sales and suffer commercial consequences. A re-think of the way products are packaged should become a priorityfor manufacturers and brand owners.”
Industry veteran Emeritus Professor Harry Lovell says it’s a misunderstanding to suggest openability is confined to the ageing or kids’ markets.
“Openability knows no boundaries, from the business man trying to open the foil packed cheese portion to the clam shell with a tool inside by a DIY enthusiast,” he points out.
“In the same context, arthritis is perceived to be a problem of the elderly when in fact it can affect children from four years onward into seniority."
"The elderly market will continue to grow, but this group is likely to be healthier as a result of better eating habits and going to the gym. This does not preclude them from having difficulties opening packs.”
Lovell agrees openabilty isn’t on the radar, when it should be. “Most companies don’t currently see the benefit of going after this demographic, although there are signs of improvement,” he says.
“The perforations on the sides of breakfast cereal packets appear to be better and the packs no longer crush inwards but break at the intended profile. In the plastics area we have some way to go, however as well as the ubiquitous beverage can.”
Ainslie Cahill has a different view. “The packaging media and its industry groups have been paying more attention to making products easy-to-open,” she says.
“The number of inquiries Arthritis Australia has received from companies wishing to design easy-to-open products and packaging has increased significantly in the last twelve months. This has included students studying packaging who have taken a greater interest in this subject.”
“There are several beverage and consumer goods manufacturers, including sporting, household, personal grooming, that are currently redesigning packaging, but Arthritis Australia is not permitted to name them,” she adds.
Cahill argues there’s a need for government, industry and consumers to work together to develop openability standards. “‘Universal Design’ is an approach which aims to create greater inclusion and openability for consumers,” she says.
“Its objective is to have manufacturers consider elderly and disabled consumers at the concept stage of products and packaging. Manufacturers can significantly increase sales by incorporating Universal Design concepts.”
Harry Lovell warns suggestions of set of standards will send a shudder through the industry. “Legal requirements have been raised overseas so there are regulatory options, but one would hope that these would not be necessary,” he says.
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