The beverage market is poised to make huge leaps in package design in the coming years to reflect consumer trends in the growth of single-serve portions, improved portability, visual appeal, and sustainability.
Reflecting these trends, beverage marketers will increasingly tap plastic bottles and pouch packaging. According to a new report from the Packaging Machinery and Manufacturers Institute (PMMI) and published in Automation and Control News, the reasons range from lighter-weight packaging that improves the carbon footprint to improved manufacturing technologies that will accelerate speed-to-shelf through increased manufacturing efficiencies.
Certainly, glass will continue to be another viable material alternative in beverage packaging, especially when the marketing objective is to project a premium product. But some beverage marketers are leveraging plastic and other forms, such as wine in pouches, in strategies that create additional options for differentiation on the shelf while also achieving cost and eco-friendly benefits.
