If your business has been focusing on your New Year’s sales orders recently, you’re far from alone. However, it’s also worth taking the time to look ahead. For example, if you ship a lot of goods, it’s worth studying the popular industry trends which could influence your packaging.

Like anything else, packaging is a sector which continues to change, thanks mainly to technological advances, shifting customer preferences and the growing demand for sustainable products. So you’ll want to stay across the latest developments and take them on board. (And if you don’t adopt them, your competitors almost certainly will.)

Here are some of the key trends we’re expecting to see in 2024:

• Sustainability

Its importance isn’t going to diminish next year. So we’ll continue to love sustainable materials, from plant-based or biodegradable packaging materials to closed-loop plastics (i.e. in which the plastic is reprocessed and the recyclate used to create something else within the same product category) among other recycling options.

This trend even extends to the design, so things like earthy colours and eco-friendly logos are growing in popularity. And modern digital printing techniques reduce the impact on the planet. At the same time, demand for products you can reseal, reuse and repurpose is set to grow.

• Eco-friendly printing and ink

On the same note, soy-based inks and environmentally friendly printing techniques have become increasingly sought-after, and this trend looks set to continue throughout next year.

• Get the minimalist look

Think clean, simple and unfussy designs. This design trend is one experts predict will continue to be in demand during 2024.

• Make it personal

We all enjoy a personalised experience, and this concept also extends to packaging. With the use of data and digital printing techniques, it’s possible to create customised packaging that makes the whole experience much more memorable.

At the same time, think about innovative, unusual shapes and structures that catch the eye and leave a lasting impression.

• Transparent labelling

We’ll see growing interest in clear, informative product labelling in the year ahead. Increasingly, customers are keen to know what they are buying, where it originated, its environmental impact and so on. Keeping your information transparent and detailed will build trust with your consumers.

• Smart packaging

This integrates technology into traditional packaging in the form of augmented reality, QR codes and RFID tags, among other solutions. (Radio-frequency or RFID tags are a type of tracking system that uses radio frequency to search, identify, track and communicate with items and people.) Many of these solutions also enhance security and authentication.

Via smart packaging, you can give customers interactive experiences from recipes to product information or sustainability details.

• 3D printing

This gives more freedom to engineers and designers to create top-quality packaging products as they experiment with different prototypes and designs. It saves time, reduces waste and expense and there’s no plastic waste.

As with so many other things, packaging is all about balance – between function, design and sustainability. So you need to find products striking an ideal harmony between all three.

See what we offer

At AirPack, we specialise in inflatable and custom packaging, with unbeatable choice plus free shipping on orders worth more than £125, with all products made in our own factory.

Browse our website and contact our team to discuss how we can help with your packaging needs today.