SPI Talks Plastics Packaging Trends at Pack Expo

Walking the show floor at the Las Vegas Convention Center, there is plenty of plastic packaging to be found—from the trendy pouch to the standby water bottle. The Society of Plastics Industry (SPI, Washington, D.C.) held a press conference during the show to give a preview of its "Plastics Market Watch: Plastics in Packaging," which will be released this November. Here are some of the highlights:

 

• The U.S. economy outlook is bright for all sectors, with plastics outpacing other market sectors in growth. 
• Plastics packaging is doing its part to drive down global food waste.
• An increasingly urban population means a demand for smaller size packaging that is easier to carry and lightweight. 
• The on-the-go population demands more convenient packaging. 
• However, the farm-to-table trend means less packaging, which could impact demand. 
• Technology trends include design for recycling (DFR); more post-consumer content recycling options; and multi-layer films that add properties related to freshness, labeling. 
• Staying on the topic of multi-layer, this type of package does add challenges to the packaging end-of-life. 
• The "Walmart Effect" is putting pressure on retailers and is impacting material choices. 
• While plastics continues to be a material of choice, the industry still faces the issues of "unsubstantiated claims of chemicals."

 

Overall with regards to the big picture, SPI says that the challenges and negatives are far outweighed by growing populations coupled with economic growth, technological advances and design advantages. 

 

Looking forward to reviewing the entire report when it is released.