Answers to puzzles at Packforum®

This is the third year that Packforum®, the packaging technology demonstration centre of Sealed Air Cryovac has hosted a commercial press day on 21. September. The subject presented was the role of packaging in the retail trade of fresh food products.
According to a fresh survey by CIES World Food Forum, adequate packaging still poses many problems for retail chains in general:
competition (like discount chains etc.), retail assortment (eg.: services, private labels, manufacturers’ brands); technology and efficiency of the supply chain (cost effective operation); food safety (regulations regarding hygiene); issues regarding staff.
„Packaging can provide a solution to all the above problems” – said Christophe Gottar, retail manager of Cryovac EMEA in his presentation.
Innovations in packaging are mainly related to the protection of the environment, (recycling, reducing the size of packaging), the appearance of the product (informative packaging, safety and brand building), and convenience. Sealed Air is involved in several projects including bio-degradable packaging materials. Their C-PET foam tray is fully recyclable and is available in many colours and shapes to support merchandising applications.
„The Createam 3D software of Sealed Air offers a unique opportunity for retailers to create a visual impression of their products in their environment before models or prototypes are completed” – explained Anna Chamberlain creative design manager. “Our potential clients can fill up their shelves with a click, to get an impression of the result of their planning work.”