Page 33 - Plastics News December 2020

e-commerce and Packaging amidst COVID

The pandemic Covid-19 though deadly, has helped examining both types of packaging will uncover
boost the e-Commerce packaging market in general by potential savings in manufacturing and shipping costs
almost 40% in 2020 and has broadened the customer along with the advantage it provides.
base
Brand Message
The pandemic has provided a catalyst for innovation in Packaging is the ideal touchpoint for taking your brand's
many industry sectors, and some valuable opportunities message literally into the hands of your customers. As
have emerged for packaging companies that have been you read earlier, your packaging is the first physical part
able to react to new demands quickly. Since the birth of of a purchase that a customer interacts. In fact,
eCommerce in 1991, packaging has slowly evolved to
packaging is the only piece of marketing that reaches
accommodate the new way people shop. The way 100% of your customers. Therefore, whatever your
customers buy online is different from the traditional message, morals or unique selling points are, your
retail experience.
product packaging is a great place to shout it out loud.
While the in-store environment is all about the product
Finding Balance
on display, the shelving, staging, and the customer's
sensory experience with the product(s) being sold. In Plastics are a material of choice in packaging
contrast, product selections online live in a 2D (and applications because of their performance, cost
sometimes augmented 3D) world. Customers can't effectiveness, and durability. To be useful, packaging
touch, feel or try the product before making the buying must safely protect and deliver a product from the
decision. Packaging plays a minimal role in online manufacturer to the consumer. Plastics drive cutting
product selection although, there are still unique ways edge design to help deliver innovative packaging
to breakthrough and make your packaging have a solutions that use less material, protect fragile goods,
statement. and help cut down on transportation costs—all important
elements of sustainability. Plastics has its applications in
However, an e-Commerce-specific merchandise Health Care / Pharmaceutical, Cosmetics &Personal
packaging must endure the rugged journey from Care, Dairy /Packed Foods, Consumer FMCG and many
manufacturer to consumer. And, with the industry return
more
rate hovering around 30%, it must also survive a round
trip while still protecting its contents. The right Research on the environmental impact of e-commerce
eCommerce packaging solutions must address basic appears to be mixed since both total energy usage and
issues like say, a)Lowering the return rates by preventing CO2 emissions are influenced by many factors and can
shipping damages, b) Reducing shipping costs by getting vary widely depending on the individual consumer.
lighter and smaller, c)Increasing brand identification and Therefore e-commerce may not have an absolute
above all d) Improving customer satisfaction environmental advantage over brick-and-mortar stores.
Sustainability is an unavoidable, but complex topic.
It's known that packaging is broadly categorized into two Finding the right balance between over packing and
Utility packaging and Branded packaging. Utility providing sufficient protection is part of the complexity.
packaging as the name implies, is the plain envelope or Many of the companies interviewed stated that they
brown box that protects the inner contents during prefer to use too much packaging to protect the product
shipping. Branded packaging surrounds the item and has
rather than risking damage because the product itself
the colorful graphics, logos, labels, and text. Re-
has a larger carbon footprint and higher costs than the
packaging. Delivering a damaged product may also
damage the brand, especially for an e-tailer.
Plastic Packaging Innovations
For decades plastics have driven innovation in packaging
design. From tamper resistant medicine packaging to
the new Heinz dip/squeeze packet, plastic helps drive
innovation and is a leading material in creating effective
packaging solutions for a variety of needs. The packaging
stream is evolving. Resource efficient flexible plastic
packaging provides outstanding product protection in
innovative formats. Plastic flexible packaging has given
a boost to processed food consumption all over the
world. Plastics offer all the packaging needs of the

DECEMBER 2020 33 Plastics News