The original task of packaging was to make the safe transport of goods possible, but today packaging materials must also be stylish and environmental. Zsolt Miklós, managing director of Rondo Corrugated Board Kft. told our magazine that they always develop the best and most efficient transport and retail packaging, and in-store display solutions. In the case of corrugated board there is no need to make compromises in marketing or environmental protection, because they serve all needs. Mr Miklós opines that in the future demand will increase for packaging manufactured from FSC-certified materials.

He added that at the moment the ISO 22000 food safety management standard is under revision to make the requirements of today. Cost-efficient and environmental solutions such as Rondo’s D-flute products can reduce logistic and storage costs considerably. Marketing considerations have become much more important in the case of packaging solutions for fruits and vegetables exported to neighbouring countries. This means that soon it will change how the fruit and vegetable shelves of shops look in Hungary as well.

Csaba Árvai, managing director of Raben Trans European Hungary Kft. talked to our magazine about the key role of logistics in the whole value chain in ensuring that shoppers find high-quality products in stores. He revealed that in warehouses or trucks the highest cleanliness, temperature and humidity standards must be observed. It is needless to say that product tracking is also a must these days. Thanks to technological development, the company can find relevant data more easily than before.

Mr Árvai also underlined the importance of a well-working HACCP system, rodent control, professional cleaning services, controlled entrance and exit, and controlled machinery use. The Raben’s warehouse team has experienced members who have been working together for a long time. According to the managing director, the big advantage of the multiuser environment is that fixed costs are shared by more customers – this is always cheaper than one building their own warehouse and logistic chain.

Márta Enyedi, food care business development manager of Sealed Air told Trade magazine: with the spreading of e-commerce new, innovative packaging solutions are needed. She thinks that durable solutions that don’t require much space, e.g. vacuum packaging, will make the life of manufacturer, retailer and transportation companies easier. In her view demand will also increase for convenience products, which also rely heavily on new packaging solutions. Ms Enyedi explained that packaging protects the food, keeping it clean and making transportation easier. Thanks to ovenable packaging solutions such as Cryovac® Oven Ease®, meat is easier to prepare for consumers. Vacuum packaging Cryovac® Darfresh® can double the shelf life of products, which means that less food is wasted. Cryovac® Darfresh® on Tray is also a perfect packaging solution, because 30-40 percent less material is wasted in manufacturing. Another important objective of Sealed Air is to increase the value of brands. These days shoppers have little time to decide which product to buy. Cryovac® Sealappeal® PSF films not only make products easy to use, but also give them a perfect look.

Gabriella Sinka, FMCG segment sales manager of DS Smith Packaging Hungary underlined that they develop packaging solutions with several aspects of transport and storage in mind, using predictive software to find the optimal solution for partners. In addition to product safety, it is also packaging’s task to motivate shoppers for buying the product. Ms Sinka talked also to us about ‘transumers’: 67 percent of the world’s population will live in cities by 2050. More and more people will move about on foot or by bicycle, so they will need good-looking and relatively small products. The number of these so-called transumers keeps growing year after year, and their needs can only be served by developing new packaging solutions.