Ecommerce business - A new era for packaging

Warehouse boxes, whatever your business, need to be stored perfectly over time, away from sources of moisture and accidental drops that can render the packaging and its contents unusable. Cardboard boxes for warehouses: the best characteristics. In order to guarantee an efficient storage and shipping service, it is necessary to equip yourself with valid, top-quality cardboard boxes for warehouses. Therefore, what are the characteristics of perfect warehouse packaging? Let's find out in the rest of the article.   Read also: “How to make cardboard stronger”   Cardboard boxes resistant to impacts and drops A simple distraction, a setback caused by a failed shipment, an accidental drop: these are just some of the causes of damage and unexpected expenses. For these reasons, cardboard boxes must be able to cushion the blow, and must therefore be made of an absolute top-quality material. Available warehouse space is a valuable resource, and that is why you need to rely on double-wall packaging which, thanks to its double fluting, increases the structural resistance of the box and, with the choice of the right papers, also counters sources of moisture.   Custom and made-to-measure boxes Cardboard boxes with custom dimensions allow you to reduce the volumetric weight of products, saving on shipping costs. Furthermore, they must be packaging capable of adapting to warehouse shelves, allowing you to optimize the available space, with significant savings in terms of management and logistics. Naturally, it is necessary to choose warehouse boxes based on their purpose, the characteristics of the contents they must accommodate, and other complementary logistical factors such as the storage environment (for example, if it is a damp place or one characterized by frequent temperature fluctuations).   Boxes with prints and colors referring to the brand To make a difference, cardboard boxes for warehouses must aim for maximum recognition with a choice of colors and prints suited to the reference brand. This is to make shipments easier and faster, managing quantities better and having an important reference at hand. But that's not all: customized packaging offers greater visibility to the brand, with the possibility of printing the company's trademark and logo on the boxes, also exploiting them as an advertising medium.   Boxes with international prints and symbols Product or content traceability is an indispensable factor for warehouse boxes. In addition to the company logo, prints identifying the description of the contents can also be included to facilitate recognition within the storage system. A warehouse cardboard box can also be customized with international symbol prints to help warehouse workers and couriers handle packages and protect goods, naturally preventing the material from getting damaged and making the box unusable. Among the most important symbols, we find those relating to the presence of fragile material inside and the identification of the opening side of the box.   If you are looking for a highly reliable partner for your cardboard packaging, choose CART-ONE. You will receive a 360° consultation that will guide you in choosing the right product to fully satisfy your needs. Contact us to receive more information.   Find out more: “What double-wall cardboard sheets are used for?"

The European Union has recently approved new measures on packaging, destined to revolutionize the way we produce, use, and dispose of wrapping materials. Which packaging will be banned by 2030? On April 24, the European Parliament gave the green light to a regulation that aims to make packaging more sustainable and reduce waste. This regulation was approved with a large majority and represents a decisive step toward the circular economy. Read also: “Packaging: paper is the fastest-growing food packaging material” New Rules for Packaging The new Packaging Regulation, which will enter into force following formal approval by the Council and publication in the Official Journal of the EU, amends and repeals previous regulations, including Directive 94/62/EC on packaging and packaging waste management. The new provisions point toward a future with less plastic, packaging that is easier to recycle, and fewer harmful chemicals. Let's see in detail what will change. Recycling and Reduction Targets The new European rules establish ambitious targets to reduce packaging and increase its recycling: Packaging reduction of 5% by 2030, 10% by 2035, and 15% by 2040; Specific reduction targets for plastic packaging waste; Limits on waste, with a maximum empty space ratio of 50% for multiple packaging and for those intended for e-commerce. Packaging Banned by 2030 Starting from January 1, 2030, certain types of single-use plastic packaging will be prohibited. These include: Packaging for fresh, unprocessed fruit and vegetables; Packaging for food and beverages consumed inside cafés and restaurants; Single-serve portions of condiments, sauces, coffee creamer, and sugar; Small single-use packaging used in hotels; Ultra-lightweight plastic bags under 15 microns. Alcoholic Beverage Packaging and Other Provisions The regulation provides specific reuse targets by 2030 for alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverage packaging, excluding milk, wine, and spirits. Takeaway food and beverage distributors must offer at least 10% of their products in reusable packaging by 2030. Improvement of Collection and Recycling Systems All packaging, except for specific materials like lightweight wood and cork, must be recyclable according to strict criteria. By 2029, 90% of single-use metal and plastic beverage containers up to three liters must be collected separately through deposit-refund systems or other effective solutions. The Italian Case The new rules have raised objections in Italy. Indeed, our government has expressed concerns regarding the impact of these measures on the national recycling supply chain. The Minister of Environment and Energy Security, Gilberto Pichetto, highlighted how the Italian model is already advanced and exceeds EU targets, and how the new regulations could pose a risk to local industry. The new European rules on packaging represent an important step toward a more sustainable future, with less waste and increased recycling. However, the implementation of these measures will require adaptations and investments from companies in the sector. For those operating in the cardboard packaging industry, these new rules represent an opportunity to innovate and adopt greener practices, thereby strengthening their position in the market and contributing to a cleaner and healthier environment for all. See also: “Climate change and environmental impact: summer 2023 the hottest”

From aesthetics to environmental sustainability, packaging must meet increasingly specific needs from consumers and the environment. Packaging Trends 2023: all the new packaging developments. Nowadays, packaging must focus on aspects that go beyond aesthetics, but also on issues regarding sustainability and the adoption of materials that respect the planet. And then there is the e-commerce factor, a sector that is growing dramatically day by day, and which requires increasingly cutting-edge packaging and digital printing technologies.   Read also: “How the energy crisis impacts the supply of paper and cardboard”   Greater demand for corrugated cardboard Since the beginning of the Covid-19 pandemic, consumer purchases have changed radically. Consequently, companies had to adapt to the new “normal” by creating an online store to continue selling their products. The data confirms it: 30% of companies moved online during the peak of the pandemic, with the resulting significant growth of the e-commerce sector. A trend that will continue to grow in the future. Indeed, thanks to the use of smartphones and the accessibility of more digital technologies, 95% of all purchases will be made online by 2040.   E-commerce retail sales will continue to rise, with estimates of around 20% annual growth for electronic commerce in Europe; global online sales are expected to exceed 5.5 trillion dollars in 2023, which will have a profound impact on packaging demand, especially in the corrugated cardboard industry, affecting 80% of the demand for products sold online. This results in an increasingly complex supply chain for direct-to-consumer delivery, considering that packages sold via e-commerce are handled up to 20 times or more during standard distribution. All this translates into a new demand for corrugated cardboard packaging. Packaging that is increasingly resistant, safe, robust, and versatile, therefore capable of containing, protecting, and transporting the various types of products within.   More and more digital printing Digital printing will be increasingly important for the packaging world in 2023. With the higher demand for corrugated cardboard, in fact, companies will choose increasingly high-performance materials that can be printed optimally. This results in higher brand customization, certainly thanks to a quality of the latest technologies that is significantly superior compared to the past. With these technological developments, brands will want higher customer loyalty and engagement, and packaging will do nothing but help create a memorable purchasing experience to share through social media, also attracting new users and generating more conversions.   Custom fit-to-product packaging Again thanks to the explosion of e-commerce and the needs of its sellers, the fit-to-product (FtP) or box-on-demand system will be increasingly important, a technology that allows the production of custom packaging based on the exact dimensions of the product to be packed, including irregular shapes. In this way, the end user will no longer need to hold large stocks of standard-sized boxes that often require abundant amounts of void-fill material. Gradually, with the increased request for FtP platforms, there will be more demand for cardboard sold as fanfold.   Retail-ready formats Shelf ready packaging, intended for retail sale, is establishing itself more and more as a tool to save costs for retailers, especially in Western Europe. A factor derived from greater sales pressure, also as a solution to save labor, since it is estimated that these packaging formats can reduce shelf-replenishment and handling costs by up to 50%, while also providing greater control over the presentation of goods within the retail space.   Sustainable packaging Corrugated cardboard is easy to recycle and can be converted into new packaging cardboard production. This also results in an increased demand for corrugated protective formats compared to polymer-based alternatives, such as expanded polystyrene (EPS) foams. Consumer goods companies are increasingly committed to modifying existing packaging and ensuring that new versions are more sustainable through the lightweighting strategy, which reduces the size and weight of the packaging, so that products are lighter and the carbon footprint during transport is lowered. The importance of lightweighting will continue to be felt in the coming years, as retailers need to save on costs and attract end users. To be considered, obviously, is that environmental labeling will come into force from January 1st, 2023, so it will be mandatory to communicate the final destination of the packaging, with an indication of all the materials it is made of. The purpose is to facilitate the collection, reuse, recovery, and recycling of packaging, as well as to increase consumer awareness on the subject of sustainability.   More conscious design for the beauty sector The global packaging market is booming, and it is destined to grow by nearly 3% year-on-year between now and 2028, to a value of 1.2 trillion dollars. For the beauty industry, packaging is no longer just a means for transporting products; it is the mirror of the brand and its values, of its commitment to people and the planet. For this reason, for the 2023/24 season, cosmetic packaging design will be more ecologically conscious through regenerative design systems, where the packaging will improve the ecosystem and protect biodiversity. There will be more and more compostable materials, packaging based on carbon capture, and materials derived from waste and by-products. Furthermore, thanks to new post-pandemic values, such as self-care and inclusion, more space will be given to experiences, cultures, and individual realities with the development of micro-dose packaging and universal packaging. The choice of materials will also be made to stimulate interaction, thanks to tactile and sensory textures like suede or the matte-velvety effect, and packaging that will strengthen the person-product connection. In addition, packaging will have increasingly evolving shapes: from single-dose sachets that seal the key moments of the beauty routine to magnetic single-dose miniatures, packed in soluble sachets and pods, completely recyclable and compostable, while large-sized refills will stay at home and be used to refill travel containers when necessary. Everything, clearly, from the perspective of sustainability.   There is talk of four materials that will be the protagonists of the new packaging in the coming years: mycelium, seaweed, cork, and hemp. Mycelium packaging has already made giant strides: durable, resistant, and lightweight, it has the capacity to decompose in the ground within 90 days, also reducing costs along the entire supply chain. Seaweed will be increasingly available from 2024; it does not require fresh water, land, or fertilizer, and grows 20-30 times more than land-based agriculture, so as to replace single-use plastic. Cork and hemp paper are already available and both come from regenerative agricultural practices. If these materials continue to be used, it will certainly facilitate the transition to regenerative crops with a new longevity for packaging.   The future of food and drink packaging 2023 Packaging related to the food and drink sector is a fundamental communication vehicle, which must constantly adapt to consumer expectations. In recent years, to respond more and more to environmental, social, and economic sustainability needs, packaging has also taken on an ethical role, keeping track of our purchasing choices regarding the environment. 2023 packaging, therefore, will put sustainability, value, technology, and appealing aesthetics at the center, choosing more sustainable materials, but also more optimistic designs and colors, especially after the long global post-pandemic period. The colors will be simple and reassuring, as well as versatile: soft and classic base colors that will produce a sense of security in consumers. Furthermore, 2023 packaging will find inspiration in nature: consumers will find serenity and pleasure in nature, appreciating it for its healing benefits and nurturing a deep desire to preserve it. Food and beverage ingredients for wellness and self-care will be fundamental, as will natural processes for packaging. Packaging must be created from natural regenerative and biodiverse fibers and products must be made from processes that increase biodiversity and leave no trace. The trend colors will be optimistic and emotional, with a delicate balance between natural earth tones and bright colors, for a perfect harmony with a consumer who seeks their own well-being and that of the earth.   Find out more: “Environmental labeling in packaging: what Italian regulations say”