M&S has announced that ‘best before’ dates will be removed from the labelling of over 300 fruit and vegetable products, and replaced with a new code that staff can scan to check freshness and quality...
Cherry grower Reid Fruits, based in Tasmania, Australia, has seen a dramatic decline in product counterfeiting over the past three export seasons to Asia, as a result of a Smart Fingerprint solution developed by brand authentication technologist Laava, in collaboration with Peacock Bros, a leading digital label and supply chain solutions provider...
Britvic is launching a packaging-focussed augmented reality (AR) campaign that is designed to get families outdoors and hunting for hidden virtual fruit. To participate, consumers purchase a participating bottle of Robinsons over the summer months, scan the QR code on the label, and enter their details including a unique code printed on the label itself to start their hunt...
In the pharmaceuticals sector, there has recently been a shift away from the traditional ‘one-size-fits-all’ concept of drug administration to a more patient-centred one. A possible approach to obtain personalized medicine is with Data-Enriched Edible Pharmaceuticals (DEEPs), which are printed on each individual pill in the pattern of QR codes...
Systech, an AIPIA member providing connected brand protection and part of Markem-Imaje, has partnered with Spherity, a German software provider of secure and decentralized identity management solutions, to offer an innovative solution to facilitate compliance with the US Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), part of which requires the verification of trading partners...
A number of major beverage and spirit brands continue to adopt QR to connect with customers, while one whisky company is even helping them to disconnect through packaging...
Smart Packaging has many proven benefits, such as brand protection, track & trace and anti-counterfeiting. But from the very earliest stages of its development brand owners focused heavily on the consumer engagement attributes of these technologies. In the digital age, being connected to your customer is vital, helping to build a close and mutually beneficial relationship as well as delivering important marketing metrics about consumer behaviour...
Data is the heartbeat of every thriving modern company. Cars, machines, phones and entertainment devices, for example, generate more data than ever, feeding into the ceaseless stream of bits and bytes that connects consumers and companies.
Molson Coors has launched limited-edition packs featuring labels that change colour according to the temperature of the drink...
Digimarc Corporation, a leading AIPIA member which created Digimarc watermarks, next-generation digital identification and detection-based solutions, recently announced the launch of its Digimarc® Brand Integrity digital solution, which gives brands and their customers more sophisticated and flexible ways to verify the authenticity of products, it says...
In our latest comment piece, Andrew Manly, AIPIA’s communications director, looks into one of the biggest issues for companies that are considering using smart packaging: cost vs value...
Counterfeit or substandard medicines adversely affect the health of millions of people and cost an estimated $200 billion annually. Their burden is greatest in developing countries, where the World Health Organization estimates that one in ten medical products are fake...
The ‘use-by’ and ‘best-by’ dates printed on milk containers may soon become a thing of the past, giving way to more accurate and informative QR codes, says a report published recently by Cornell University in the USA...
In the future, when ordering a shot of whiskey, the customer might ask the bartender to remove an edible fluorescent silk tag that could be found floating inside, even though it is safe to consume. This little silk tag, with a QR code, is a security measure that could reveal if the whiskey is fake or not...
Avery Dennison Corporation has added to its portfolio of dual frequency RFID inlays with the new AD Slim DF EM4425 tag designed for logistical, medical, and industrial applications...
Pernod Ricard is set to roll out a digital label system across its wine and spirits brands with QR codes that consumers can scan with their smartphones to access information on ingredients, nutritional values, and responsible alcohol consumption...
InnovationLab has announced it has acquired Evonik’s TAeTTOOz printable battery technology. The companies have been close partners in this field for many years and have jointly driven the technological development of TAeTTOOz to the present threshold of industrial-scale production...
VerifyMe, which joined AIPIA last year and provides brand owners with time-sensitive logistics, authentication, supply chain monitoring, and data-rich consumer engagement features using smartphone readable codes, has announced that it has successfully developed VerifyInk, a covert ink technology to run on continuous inkjet printers (CIJ)...
SAVRpak, a California-based food technology innovation company, recently announced the launch of SAVRpak Drop-In, the first-ever moisture control technology that extends the shelf-life and freshness of produce up to three times, it claims...
Zappar, an AIPIA member which specialises in Augmented Reality (AR) creation, has launched Zapvision technology, which aims to provide access to relevant product information to everyone as a basic right, regardless of their visual ability...
Mondelèz International is piloting a new, on pack QR code for its UK summer promotion with Merlin Entertainments across a range of Cadbury, Oreo and Barny packs...
Smart Packaging has many proven benefits, such as Brand Protection, Track & Trace and Anti-counterfeiting. But from the very earliest stages of its development Brand Owners focused heavily on the Consumer Engagement attributes of these technologies. In the digital age, being connected to your customer is vital, helping to build a close and mutually beneficial relationship as well as delivering important marketing metrics about consumer behaviour...
NXP Semiconductors, one of the earliest members of AIPIA, has released a new family of Near Field Communication (NFC) integrated circuits (ICs) featuring tamper-detection and condition-monitoring functionality on a single chip, it says...
Australian company Caps & Closures, which designs and manufactures plastic packaging, has launched the ID-Shield holographic labelling and decoration system...
Gerresheimer, a global supplier of drug packaging solutions, offers a traceability concept that it claims will ensure complete transparency throughout the value chain and greater safety for the patient....
Avery Dennison (AD), the major provider of RFID and digital ID solutions, and Wiliot, the Internet of Things (IoT) specialist, have announced a strategic partnership dedicated to scaling the IoT to the next level, creating a new era of IoT. Both are AIPIA members...
Packaging Europe frequently reports on active packaging solutions that prevent food waste. However, it’s fair to say that a large number of these never reach commercial scale. Andrew Manly, AIPIA’s communications director, looks into the roadblocks and gives his thoughts on what more could be done to help these innovations see the light of day....
Cosmetics manufacturer Clinique is using near field communication (NFC) technology to connect its products to the Internet of Things in a campaign running across 35 countries...
Longstanding AIPIA member Sealed Air has launched its digital packaging brand, prismiq, which has a portfolio of solutions for design services, digital printing and smart packaging...
The Consorzio del Parmigiano Reggiano (CFPR) has formed a partnership with Dutch/French consortium Kaasmerk Matec and USA-based p-Chip Corporation to launch a line of food-safe and secure traceability digital labels for its Parmigiano Reggiano cheese wheels...
From a film made of bamboo, to coatings that double the shelf-life of cheese products – here’s an update on the latest and most innovative antibacterial packaging solutions...
As more and more brands and retailers opt to not include ‘use by’ dates on their packaging, the packaging industry is being presented with an exciting opportunity. Andrew Manly, AIPIA’s communications director, tells us more....
In light of pandemic-related trends toward e-commerce shopping, how can retailers re-engage consumers in the bricks-and-mortar experience? The answer, according to AIPIA’s communications director Andrew Manly, lies in the successful and comprehensive usage of smart packaging...
By some estimates, one-third of all food produced for human consumption in the world is lost or wasted every year. How can our industry help to solve this issue? One of the answers, according to Joshua Young, Circular Economy Manager at PragmatIC Semiconductor, is smart packaging...
Essentra Packaging has announced its collaboration with Advanced Material Development (AMD) in developing a new generation of Time Temperature Indicators (TTIs), a smart packaging technology for the pharmaceutical sector....
Avery Dennison Smartrac, a longstanding AIPIA member, has announced new features to its atma.io connected product cloud, first launched in 2021. The new features will help transform how brands meet net-zero targets and reduce waste across the supply chain, it says...
A team of scientists from the University of Alicante in Spain claims to have developed a food packaging material from pineapple waste that can increase shelf life. The ultimate goal of the project is to develop an edible film, and researchers are also investigating the material’s aroma-enhancing properties....
Nextech AR Solutions Corp., a Metaverse Company and provider of augmented reality (AR) experiences, has teamed up with Bothwell Cheese to place a QR code triggered and floor anchored hologram on its cheese labels...
Wiliot, the Internet of Things (IoT) innovator which combines self-powered, stamp-sized computers and cloud-based sensing to enable ‘things’ to communicate with brands, has announced an enhanced Works with Wiliot (WwW) partner program and a series of new partners, including Tactical Edge, Sensize, 2Plus, Digipal, Xsights, VisionID, MLINK, Codegate, Blyott, and SATO....
Schreiner MediPharm has launched its upgraded Smart Blister Wallet – a digitally-enabled tool that allows pharmaceutical manufacturers to track compliance in their clinical trial participants automatically and with greater flexibility....
Wouldn’t it be great if consumers could make product touchpoints, such as the packaging they come in, their ‘go-to’ resource for product information? New AIPIA member Tapps, believes they will if the pack is presented as a channel for routine engagement, rather than one-off promotions.
Polysecure GmbH and plastics processor Röchling Industrial are launching SmartMarker, an innovative marker technology for plastic products that offers new opportunities for counterfeit protection, the development of digital material passports, and recycling....
AIPIA is pleased to announce the launch of two live events during the autumn of 2022. They will be organised under the Associations new partnership arrangements with Packaging Europe bringing the resources and expertise of both organisations together for the first time...
AIPIA member Avery Dennison Smartrac has acquired TexTrace, an integrated RFID products company, with a strategy to provide textile RFID labels that remain on garments for their entire lifetime, either in a sewn-on label or built into a product's seam.
Geek Bar, a Chinese supplier of vaping products, has launched a range of new packaging to help combat counterfeit and non-compliant items. The new packaging places greater emphasis on an ‘on-pack’ security code. Retailers can check the authenticity of products by verifying the security code online.
A US based hologram developer, Holographyx has been granted USA and European patents for its Holo-Blister® product, for the development of an innovative and cost-effective method to apply holograms to the back of pharmaceutical blister packs. Holo-Blister holograms have been designed so they will only be visible behind each pill/capsule cavity on the back of each blister pack, while continuing to allow the printing of dosage and marketing information on the area surrounding the cavity.
Australian winemaker Accolade Wines has unveiled “Banrock Station”, an Augmented Reality (AR) experience that takes users around the world to check out some of the company’s 130+ environmental projects. Also they can plant their own virtual tree in support of Banrock’s commitment to plan 100,000 native trees and shrubs every year.
In its continuing efforts to discover and develop innovative technologies for the packaging industry, global packaging supplier Amcor, a longstanding member, has announced a USD$5m strategic investment in another AIPIA member, PragmatIC Semiconductor, a leading developer and manufacturer of ultra, low-cost printed flexible electronics (PE).
Longstanding AIPIA member Digimarc has partnered with fellow member Printpack, a major US packaging converter and Israeli compostable packaging specialist, TIPA on a successful proof-of-principal of new sortation technology for compostable packaging.
A recent study by researchers at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada, published in the PLOS One open access channel, found older adults are open to the use of smart packaging to improve medication adherence. The ability to learn the product easily was important for consistent use, while downsides were device size, lack of portability and if the device acted inconsistently.
Avery Dennison Smartrac (ADS) has announced the introduction of ultra-small form factor versions of two of its NFC products: AD Circus Mini NTAG213 and AD Microblock ICODE SLIX. The company says this is anticipating demand for ever-smaller tagging options in the retail, packaging , pharmaceutical and beauty sectors.
As fake medications and pharmaceutical products proliferate across online pharmacies, which can be easily accessed via smartphone a new anticounterfeiting technology can turn the phone into a potentially lifesaving security device by simply taking a picture of a cyber-physical watermark to confirm if the medication is real or not.
Superplum, an Indian-based startup, has developed a cold chain solution for fresh fruit called the Fresherator, which reportedly keeps produce fresh for up to four weeks.
AIPIA member Wiliot, the Internet of Things (IoT) specialist, providing self-powered, stamp-sized computers and cloud-based privacy and sensing which enables “things” to communicate with manufacturers, has announced the launch of the Wiliot Starter Kit. The kit contains everything retailers need to experience the IoT transformation that Wiliot represents, it says. It includes postage stamp sized computers, IoT Pixels from fellow member Identiv, pre-mounted on both cardboard and a coffee cup.
Schreiner MediPharm’s Freeze-Lock cryo label features an interlocking layer solution offering adhesive strength and readability for the processing, storage, and transport of deep-frozen medicine containers.
Mars Wrigley has launched limited-edition Skittles Pride Packs in Australia, donating its rainbow to support LGBTQIA+ communities. It features a QR code taking consumers to a special Augmented Reality (AR) experience.
A large amount of R&D is happening in the active/antimicrobial food packaging film space. Here is a quick overview of some of the many projects showing promise.
A team of scientists from Nanyang Technological University, Singapore (NTU Singapore) and Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health, USA, has developed a ‘smart’ food packaging material that is biodegradable, sustainable and kills microbes that are harmful to humans, they claim. It could also extend the shelf-life of fresh fruit by two to three days.
High tech RPCs lead investigators to the illegal recycling location: In 2021, a major plastic container theft sting was executed in Cook County, Illinois. It resulted in the discovery of an illegal plastic regrind operation which was grinding reusable containers (RPCs) and trays stolen by a network of more than 30 vehicles and dozens of individuals. The regrind and intact containers discovered at the operation are valued in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Despite the fact that it is vilified today in many quarters plastic packaging is generally understood to protect fruits and vegetables from spoilage in grocery stores. However it also creates significant amounts of waste. Together with the retailer Lidl Switzerland, Empa, the Swiss Federal Laboratories for Materials Science and Technology have now developed a protective cover for fruit and vegetables based on renewable raw materials. For this project, Lidl chose Empa for its research experience with cellulose products.
Idvac Ltd, a specialist in advanced vacuum and thin film technology, has been investigating the properties of some Liquid Crystals (LCs) for packaging and security applications. LCs are molecules which have properties between those of conventional liquids and those of solid crystals. They can be aligned by an applied electric field or other methods which changes their optical properties.
In a new feature of the AIPIA newsletter for 2022, members are asked to tell their product story, using real examples of their technology in action. To kick off, Peter James of EVRYTHNG, now a Digimarc company, explains how connected packaging can be theatre: it can create a story.
AIPIA (the Active and Intelligent Packaging Industry Association) and Packaging Europe have entered into a strategic partnership aiming to accelerate uptake of smart packaging innovation across FMCG at every stage of supply chains and retail.
SAP, a German headquartered market leader in enterprise application software, has announced a smart app to track, trace and authenticate prescription medicines in the United States. Developed in partnership with leading global pharmaceutical research company Boehringer Ingelheim,
The CurvCode digital watermark sorting system for plastic waste, which featured at the recent AIPIA Congress, is set to make its first appearance on supermarket shelves in the Netherlands with Bond Seafood’s recyclable packaging for fish designed by MULTIVAC, says a report in Packaging Europe.
Identiv, an AIPIA member specializing in digital security and identification in the Internet of Things (IoT), recently announced a strategic partnership with TrueGreen to digitize cannabis products and smart packaging with radio frequency identification (RFID) and near field communication (NFC) technology. The collaboration supports asset tracking throughout the supply chain, authenticates products and protects against package tampering.
A recent research report published in Molecules magazineinvestigatesthe antioxidant properties of a biofilm produced from onion pulp and how it could be an attractive primary material for the storage and preservation of processed meat products such as beef patties. Using these biofilms would increase the shelf-life of perishable products, as well as provide protection against microbial contamination, it claims. The research was undertaken in Brazil by several Universities and research organisations.
Here is a final roundup of some of the Smart Packaging stories hitting the headlines during November and December: Digimarc acquires fellow AIPIA member EVRYTHNG. Dutch apparel brand rolls out RFID. Introducing the worlds first ‘smart’ perfume. A nano-based food packing material is developed in India. Checkpoint delivers better readability for drug packaging tag. CVS rolls out Spoken Rx to all its pharmacies. Finally: to all our loyal readers Merry Christmas and a SMART 2022!
A roundup of five smart packaging stories in the news: SpotSee's Do Not ReFreeze label; Ardagh Metal introduces its colour to colour thermochromic tech for cans; SavrPak now offers a smart patch to keep takeaway food in transit warm and bacteria free; CareTech Services and LocatorX offer a new flexible tracking solution; and Authentix celebrate a Presidential award for exports
AIPIA member Kezzler, a leading cloud-based enterprise traceability solutions provider and Arviem, a major provider of IoT enabled multimodal real-time visibility services, have announced a strategic partnership offering end-to-end supply chain product traceability and digitization. The companies say integrating these technologies will allow true end-to-end product traceability by combining unit level product digitization and aggregation, with global real-time IoT sensor data, collected during a product's multi-modal global journey.
Budweiser has launched limited-edition English Premier League packaging featuring a scan-to-win competition. The new packaging, which includes an image of the iconic Premier League trophy, is available in convenience, grocery and wholesale channels throughout England. The design is running across Budweiser and Budweiser Zero cans and bottles.
Amcor Capsules has launched IMPRESSIONS, a technology developed in collaboration with French company MGJ, a specialist in the design and manufacture of seals for containers. It enables brands to customize closure liners, such as the underside of bottle caps. The CMYK colour printing technology allows brands to print anything from QR codes to colourful logos, for direct, digital engagement with consumers
Global food processing and packaging company and AIPIA member Tetra Pak has launched a new ‘universal’ connected experience accessed via its smart packaging, available to all brands, it says. In what it claims as a first for the packaging industry, the new Tetra Pak Iberia connected experience, created in partnership with digital experiences studio Appetite Creative, aims to help a variety of brands engage directly with customers without the need for initial digital development costs.
AIPIA is collaborating with global consultancy group Accenture in a groundbreaking project which will focus on the misconceptions many Brand Owners and other companies hold around smart connected packaging ...
The digital economy can help us prevent packaging waste, say researchers at Lancaster University and University of St Andrews, in the UK who are working with the founders of Reath, a start-up business based in Edinburgh, Scotland, with a mission to build the digital infrastructure for reuse, according to an recent report in Industry Intelligence.
Following its Beerscans and Winerytale Augmented Reality (AR) experiences (see newsletter 06/04/21) Australian-based Immertia, is rolling out a new AR platform , the appropriately named ‘Swigr’ tohelp consumers and producers connect throughalcoholic beverage product packaging. The ARplatform is rolling out to the global alcoholic beverage market, with beer, cider, and seltzer brands as prime targets, according to a recent report in Australian packaging journal PKN.
Tageos and label company All4Labels, both long time members of AIPIA, have announced their cooperation in the field of sustainable RFID inlays and tags. With a common goal to drive and foster sustainable RFID products across all industries, the French-based RFID specialist will now offer the new Zero Max RFID inlays powered by All4Labels´ eRFID antennas to the market.
Identiv Inc, an AIPIA member prominent in the field of RFID inlays and tags, has announced a collaboration with OTACA Tequila. This utilizes near field communication (NFC) to enable authentication, product provenance and transparency, customer loyalty and brand awareness. Identiv’s NFC transponders connect consumers and brands into an Internet of Things (IoT) ecosystem where consumer engagement is present in each digital touchpoint, it claims.
Two companies, both based in the APAC region, are offering digital fingerprints which, they claim, are an upgrade to the security currently offered by QR codes. Laava, based in Australia and Cymmetrik, originating from Taiwan, have both developed technologies they have dubbed ‘fingerprinting’,offering enhanced features.
A Digital DRS (Deposit Return Scheme) is a new approach to Deposit Return Schemes, enabled through digital tracking of consumer products. It promises improved DRS performance to help step-change circular economies at significantly lower cost and carbon footprint according to Ivan Gonzalez, CEO of Recycl3R. He will introduce the scheme for the first time during his presentation at the AIPIA Congress on November 16th.
Swiss milk processor, Emmi and multinational food packaging company, Tetra Pak, have launched a new augmented reality (AR) connected experience accessed via its smart packaging. Created in partnership with digital experiences studio, Appetite Creative, the AR enabled features looks to encourage healthy, happy and positive lifestyles among customers, claim the companies.
Timestrip, a member of AIPIA, has introduced a new temperature indicator that helps healthcare professionals avoid wastage of vaccines. Travelling with packs of vaccine vials, the Vaccine Freezer Moni-tor VFM -7?C is activated just when monitoring is required.
AIPIA is always looking out for seasonal applications of Smart Packaging technology. So it was good to find one of the big Beasties of the snacks market, Pringles, is getting into the spirit and putting a costume on its iconic can to celebrate everyone's favourite spooky holiday, Halloween. The Brand has released new limited-edition Glow-in-the-Dark cans in two Halloween flavours: 'Sour Scream & Onion' and 'Oooriginal'.
Some stories about new developments across the Smart Packaging sector
U-NICA was founded in 2004 with the aim of bringing the expertise of banknote protection and authentication to other industries. This has led to the development of the scryptoTRACE suite, a holistic brand protection solution that incorporates a variety of measures to maintain a company’s brand and product reputation. Part of this suite is a brand new Digital Security Label (DSL).
Jenton Dimaco’s high performance Veri-PACK label verification systems are found widely across a range of food manufacturing sites, to provide accurate data, including use by dates, country of origin and allergen information which are critical for the retail customer. The latest applications and a full technology overview will be one of the Keynote presentations at the up-coming AIPIA Congress (November 16th).
“Make no mistake,” says Ohad Perry, director of business development, supply chain, at Wiliot. “Plastic has an important role to play in a more sustainable world. Reusable plastic, ‘Smart’ plastic, can hasten the creation of a more circular economy, reduce waste all along supply chains, increase food safety and more.”...
This November 16th AIPIA brings you the premier event for the Smart Packaging sector: Smart Packaging Solutions for Digitalization, Supply Chain and Sustainability. The event promises to be a (data) mine of information about how digital, connected packaging is disrupting the way Brand owners can use their packaging for consumer engagement, traceability, product security and even sustainable solutions....
The USA Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently launched the “New Era of Smarter Food Safety" Low- or No-Cost Tech-Enabled Traceability Challenge, with the objective of achieving seamless traceability at no cost to the consumer and so “advance the widespread, consistent implementation of traceability systems across the food industry,” according to the FDA...
Research teams at the University of Cadiz in Spain and the University of Aveiro in Portugal have developed a bioactive or functionalized plastic made from nano-fibrillated cellulose and mango leaf extracts that preserves food longer than non-functionalized plastics, they claim...
New AIPIA member Microtrace has patent-pending technology which integrates with FMCG smart-device consumable systems to identify genuine consumables from low cost generics, private label or counterfeit alternatives and provide real-time consumer behaviour data, plus actionable market intelligence, it says...
Beyond Good, a single origin chocolate company, built on a foundation of sustainable and ethically sourced cocoa, will introduce new packaging for its single-origin Madagascar and Uganda bars this autumn. The packaging is designed to highlight unique properties of single-origin cocoa...
Elcoflex Ltd, based in Finland, an AIPIA member manufacturing copper based RFID antennas, has developed a new low-cost Smart Label concept based on a printed battery and readily available RFID chips. Current Smart Sensors use an embedded microprocessor system for analogue signal processing which, says the company, leads to a higher unit price...
Tageos, an AIPIA member supplying RFID inlays and tags, has launched the EOS-202 U9 RAIN RFID inlay, which it claims has the smallest form factor available today for healthcare and pharmaceutical applications The new inlay has successfully passed tests specified by the Auburn University RFID Lab Spec S and is certified by DoseID for a broad range of pharmaceutical and healthcare purposes...
Kellogg’s UK announced recently that, following a successful trial, new smart packaging technology will be permanently added to all of its Europe-bound cereal boxes to make them accessible to blind and partially sighted people. This announcement comes after a successful UK trial last year( see AIPIA newsletter 14-10-20) in partnership with Co-op, on Kellogg’s Coco Pops boxes...
USA cereal brand REESE’S PUFFS has released a new campaign using Augmented Reality, AR. Through the use AR technology, Reese’s is allowing customers to turn their cereal boxes into a groovebox or synth.
Hot on the heels of Toppan, who have integrated NFC tags into paper packaging (AIPIA newsletter 21-07-21), ISBC, a Russia based RFID solutions developer has collaborated with AIPIA member, SAPPI – a global paper and packaging material supplier - to present an innovative new smart paper with embedded RFID chips. The chips are embedded into the paper sheet without any impact on the paper surface, which remains flat and smooth...
AIPIA member PragmatIC Semiconductor, a leading supplier of flexible electronics, has announced it is working on an Innovate UK, Manufacturing Made Smarter project to increase the quality of plastic recyclate. In the project, code-named SORT?IT, packaging will be given unique digital IDs to facilitate the tracking and separation of packaging waste in a Materials Recovery Facility (MRF). The aim is to improve recovery through digitizing waste sorting using PragmatIC‘s low-cost RFID...
Brazil’s postal service Correios Brazil is testing RFID based systems to improve processes and offer new postal services around the world. Under the auspices of the Universal Postal Union (UPU), a United Nations agency that coordinates postal policies among member countries, Brazil is implementing the use of smart packaging technologies in letters and especially in boxes - a major feature of e-commerce. The systems are up and running and follow the global RFID GS1 standards.
The team at Appetite Creative recently developed an augmented reality (AR) application, accessible on mobile phones via QR codes, found on cans of fruit juice drink Rani Float. Customers had to scan all four flavours in the correct order to get access to an entry form, which entered them to win tickets to the final of a coveted soccer match. ..
Blue Diamond is using Augmented Reality (AR) to educate and entertain consumers on their Almond Breeze plant based milk brand, with technology that links the packaging to a website, rather than a dedicated app, to provide consumer convenience. The AR experience is accessible from the dedicated website that opens up when users scan a QR code on the container, says the report in Packaging World...
Nestlé is the first company in Vietnam to opt for SIG’s innovative QR code closure solution “One Cap, One Code” for one-to-one online marketing opportunities. The aim is to appeal in particular to Gen Z consumers and to strengthen brand loyalty via a differentiated reward program, it says.
A company is making paper packaging products for the food industry using crop waste materials such as apple skins, avocado peel and mango pips. UK-based Tensei has a database of nearly 400 fibres which would otherwise be wasted, including non-wood pulps such as wheat, hemp, bagasse and abaca. The start-up is using these materials to make plastic- and wood-free paper packaging products for industries including food.
Rockwell Automation one of the world’s largest suppliers of industrial automation and digital transformation, has announced a partnership with AIPIA member Kezzler, the cloud-based product digitization and traceability platform, to help manufacturers capture the journey of their products from raw material sources to point-of-sale or beyond, using cloud-based supply chain solutions that focus on product traceability.
For its latest perfume launch, Phantom, Paco Rabanne, in close collaboration with VPI, has developed a refillable spray cap in the shape of a robot head that connects consumers to a unique digital space via the use of NFC technology.
Sprite, the Coca-Cola owned soda brand, has launched a new ‘Live from the Label’ initiative. Announced in June, its focus is celebrating some of the biggest names and up-and-coming names in hip hop. QR codes appear on special 20-oz bottles of Sprite and Sprite Zero Sugar. By scanning the codes on the labels consumers can receive tickets to a series of summer hip hop concerts.
Phillips Distilling Company, a US pioneer in flavours and spirits innovation has announced its largest consumer repositioning effort in the company’s over 100 year history, with a series of packaging innovations and a new product launch intended for today's modern spirits drinker, it says.
Here is a round up of some of the latest business and market news involving Smart Packaging: Stories cover Mars & Microsoft, Markem-Imaje & Blue Bites, Honeywell, Authentix, KMPG on illicit cigarettes in the Europe, and Good News about QR Codes & Connected Packaging generally...
AIPIA member SML Group has released an inlay for the pharmaceutical industry, designed for tracking single-dose drugs produced in disposable vials. The new product, known as the GB32U9, is SML's smallest inlay to date, according to the report in RFID Journal and is engineered to transmit data effectively when applied to vials filled with liquid and made from plastic or glass packaging...
AIPIA member Scantrust and ePac Flexible Packaging have announced a global agreement to bring smart, connected packaging solutions to brands of all sizes, including small and medium-sized businesses. Through ePacConnect, which was announced in October of 2020, the companies offer secure, serialized QR codes on all of ePac’s packaging and provide access to a suite of Scantrust applications for consumer engagement, brand protection, and track and trace...
Approximately 50 million tons of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) waste is produced annually, largely due to food and drink packaging, particularly soda and water bottles of all shapes and sizes. Scientists have been looking for ways to cut down on this waste and a study for Green Chemistryshows it may now be possible. Using genetically-modified bacteria, a team at Edinburgh University in Scotland, has been able to convert PET plastic waste into vanilla flavouring...
Longstanding AIPIA member Toppan, a provider of communication, security, packaging, décor materials and electronics solutions, has integrated tamper-evident NFC tag functions into the structure of paper-based and other packages to develop a new type of smart packaging that enhances security and helps streamline the manufacturing process, while also preserving package design, according to the company...
A Swiss food testing company SwissDeCode has launched the A2 INSIDE Label, which is intended to help end user to identify the efforts of dairy producers in guaranteeing authentic A2 milk products. The label will be used by companies who analyze their herds and milk batches with the rapid DNA tests from the company...
Tech Mahindra a major Indian IT company is partnering with start-up StaTwig, a Singapore and Hyderabad, India based digital supply chain solution provider, to implement a new blockchain-based traceability solution for vaccines, VaccineLedger. The partnership aims to roll-out the solution for international vaccine supply chain transparency to predict and prevent failures in these supply chains, including problems related to expired vaccines, stock shortages and counterfeiting...
Kezzler, a leading AIPIA member providing traceability solutions,and Farmforce, a source of first mile data by large multinational corporations, have announced the creation of a new partnership for end-to-end Field-to-Fork traceability...
Mondelez International has confirmed that customers purchasing its Triscuit brand crackers will be able to trace the journey of the white-winter wheat used in some crackers from a co-op of farmers in Michigan to where the product is made. The global snack company said the supply chain transparency pilot is the first of its kind for Mondel?z in North America...
Proving that even simple ‘smart’ solutions on packaging can be effective, Zydus Cadila, an Indian pharma company, has introduced a new feature called Zydus Verify in its packaging of critical drugs.This helps patients ensure that the product is not fake or counterfeit. The company has incorporated a new IT enabled scratch code which will be printed under a scratchable surface...
Global hardware and software company Cisco has deployed an RFID solution at the Cisco Store based at its corporate headquarters, as well as in a traveling store that pops up wherever Cisco conferences take place. The company sells its own branded merchandise and apparel and claims its retail model is unique, in that it comes in these two distinct formats: the traveling stores and the permanent HQ location in San Jose, California. The solution, provided by RFID company Keonn, is now live at both formats, says the report in RFID Journal...
Nestlé will shortly launch a new Smart Seas special-edition of its confectionery brandSmarties in Europe.It comes in paper packaging with a theme of marine animals, available in four different designs, according to a report in Industry Intel. By scanning the packaging's QR code with a mobile phone consumers can bring marine animals to life via anaugmented reality (AR) feature...
JCB Collection has launched a solution using AIPIA member Avery Dennison’s Smartrac technology combined with SUKU’s traceability and transparency solution for its Passion red wine, enabling consumers to tap their smartphone against a bottle's label and view videos, tasting note and othercontent about the winery, the product and its origins, from creator Jean-Charles Boisset (JCB)...
The two Brand Owner Challenges by pharmaceutical giant Takeda and international food behemoth Kraft Heinz were hotly contested by over 20 companies. Each company had just three minutes to get their product/concept across to a panel of experts from these Brands. So just doing the Challenge was quite a challenge! Add the fact this was all being done on line then the factor of difficulty was almost off the scale. In the end it all went off remarkably smoothly, as usual brilliantly coordinated by AIPIA’s Eef de Ferrante, and each Brand chose a ‘top four’ with whom they will continue discussions...
AIM, the European Brands Association, has officially launched HolyGrail 2.0 with 85 partner companies across the value chain, to prove the viability of digital watermarking for sorting waste at scale. Several leading AIPIA members are involved in this project which was the subject of a Panel Discussion in the recent Virtual Congress ‘Recycling and Sustainability.... where digital fits in’ involving one of the leading players in the project Digimarc...
At the AIPIA Smart Packaging virtual exhibition, Inspectron gave delegates the first opportunity to see its MagID marking technology, which provides advanced protection abilities for brands of any size, by enabling magnetic ink codes to be printed on or inside packaging...
Just to prove that Smart Packaging is developing a truly global footprint, last week, Chekkit Technologies, a Nigerian startup, founded in 2018, that offers product verification, anti-counterfeiting solutions, announced that it secured a partnership to pilot its technology in Afghanistan for pharmaceutical products...
Researchers from Purdue University in Indiana, USA hope their new technology can help transform paper sheets from a notebook into a music player interface or make food packaging interactive. The university’s engineers have developed a simple printing process that renders any paper or cardboard packaging into a keyboard, keypad or other easy-to-use human-machine interfaces. This technology was published in the Aug. 23 edition of Nano Energy...
Mission Produce an advanced avocado network, has partnered with Hazel Technologies to launch AvoLast by Hazel®, a new shelf-life extension program that gives avocados an three extra days of optimal ripeness on average, it says. Integrating Hazel® technology across Mission’s global supply chain will make it easier to enjoy the perfect avocado worldwide...
A new project, which will be launched on 22nd September this year aims to provide a portal for food innovators to see the latest developments and to share the information with other stakeholders in the Dutch language. A article will be published in the Netherlands and Belgian edition of New Scientist magazine as well as appearing on line via www.planet-cause.nl
Tapwow, an AIPIA member innovating in the field of smart packaging and customer connection, has announced they will partner with AIPIA to present touchless engagement experiences to entertain and educate attendees as part of the AIPIA Virtual Congress on September 10, 2020...
One of the newest, but already one of the biggest names in Packaging Technology Syntegon Technology (the new name of Robert Bosch Packaging) is making its Congress debut with a presentation on a very ‘hot’ topic, even in these pandemic-dominated times. Fit for Sustainability - How smart packaging and digitization can support players along the value chain will present a practical concept that can link packages to value chain data in order to make good sustainable solutions even better...
While the European Cannabidiol (CBD) industry remains plagued by regulatory uncertainties, the Cannabinoid Association of the Netherlands (CAN) has unveiled a free blockchain-based CBD tracker for customers to trace a product’s journey from seed-to-sale...
AIPIA member Parkside Flexibles, a UK based flexible packaging laminator and printer, has collaborated with high-tech surface protection suppliers, Touchguard™, to launch a new packaging solution incorporating an antibacterial coating. The new development enables brands to protect consumers against bacteria and viruses, including Covid-19...
Serpiente Ultra Premium Tequila is the first spirit under the umbrella of Mayo Akindele’s Houston, Texas based liquor importation company Nomad Spirits Company. This tequila is made from 100% Weber Blue Agave & bottled in one of a kind crystal glass king cobra bottles in the town of Tequila, Jalisco, he says. To make Serpiente, the distillery selects a mixture of 50% Highland Agave and 50% Lowland Agave and use naturally refined water that’s been treated via reverse osmosis and deionization...
One of the cornerstones of intelligent packaging development has been the increasing use of RFID and NFC technology. As Raghu Das will predict, based on an impartial analysis, IDTechEx expects that almost 21 billion packages sold in 2030 will feature an electronic feature to enhance the package and the market global demand for electronic smart packaging features will be a $895 million by then, from around $55 million today...
Specialty inks that are popular among consumers for creating special effects on packaging for beer, soda and candy are now feasible for water and soda fountain cups as a result of AIPIA member Chromatic Technologies’ invention of solvent-specialty inks, it says...
Aptar Food + Beverage, an AIPIA member offering a wide range of food protection solutions and proprietary active packaging systems for seafood and fresh-cut fruits and vegetables, has launched its SEAWELL™ Protective Packaging System with a leading US retailer, in more than 3,800 store locations. A first-of-its-kind active packaging solution, the SEAWELL™ system is designed to preserve seafood freshness and maintain optimal quality from sea to table, says the company...
SIG is extending its range of PAC.ENGAGE QR code solutions into closures with the launch of ‘One Cap, One Code’ for one-to-one online marketing opportunities, aiming fully at consumers. The company says its unique digital closure solution will be launched initially in the combiGo closure for on-the-go packs. It enables food and beverage customers to apply QR codes to the inside of closures, which are only visible to the consumer...
COVID-19 has had a remarkable impact on the food supply chain and issues such as food safety, security and reducing waste. Even before it reaches the consumer, hundreds of thousands of tonnes of food are wasted every year. In its presentation at the Congress Jenton Dimarco will explain that much of this is due to food labelling errors, which can lead to costly product withdrawals...
As part of our new partnership with The IoP Journal in Brazil we are featuring extracts from a recent interview with Marcel Sacco, general director of Hershey Brasil, which explores the company vision about the use of Smart Packaging and general trends in this technology. Sacco spoke about the benefits achieved in several campaigns using smart packaging and its growing needs for this kind of technology...
A product design student from Ravensbourne University in London, UK, has replaced the many plastic sachets that accompany a pack of instant noodles with an edible, spice-infused wrapper that breaks down when cooked to season the broth. Holly Grounds develops the dissolvable ramen packaging after becoming frustrated with the many small bits of plastics waste generated by traditional instant noodle packs...
A team from the Research Centre for Bio-based Chemistry at the Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology (KRICT) has developed a cold-chain safety sticker based on nano-fibre technology. The sticker indicates whether any cold-chain food products, such as fish, meat, or fruits and vegetables, may have spoiled, by being exposed to temperatures outside the permitted range...
Following the introduction of its integrated security label recently (see AIPIA News 4/6/20) Swiss ink producer and AIPIA member, SICPA and another member, Belgian label printing company REYNDERS have joined forces to strengthen their brand protection and anti-counterfeiting efforts across Europe...
We may not be able to bring you the Reality of a face to face Congress this year, but already the AIPIA Virtual Congress on 10th September 2020 is shaping up to be the best Smart Packaging encounter of the year! More than 30 speakers and 22 booth holders (already) in the presentation area means there is a real buzz of expectation...
Bacardi has used a digital printing technology supplied by Dekron on an O-I: Expressions bottle to customize a limited edition promotion. The company has replaced the usual sleeve label with direct-to-bottle digital printing, using organic inks. In addition, an innovative Augmented Reality (AR) experience and a Snapchat Lens can be unlocked via the Snapcode on the bottle...
Smartrac, a longstanding AIPIA member which is now part of Avery Dennison, has announced the introduction of its new Circus Tamper Loop Pro inlays and tags, combining tamper detection and highly secure product authentication in one NFC product, it says. This is the first offering based on the SIC43NT chip from another PPMA member, Silicon Craft. The new inlays and tags complement Smartrac’s “Pro” series for ‘one-time password’ product authentication...
VerifyMe, which provides digital technology solutions, specializing in counterfeit prevention, authentication, serialization, data mining, track & trace, features for labels, packaging and products, has announced its first VeriPASTM track and trace technology order from the cannabis industry...
Cargill, the multinational food producer, headquartered in Minneapolis, USA has launched three new chicken products for the Chinese market, using blockchain technology to ensure their traceability to customers. The company has formed a partnership with the China Animal Health and Food Safety Alliance (CAFA)...
Inuru, based in Berlin, Germany, has announced a € 2.3 Million Series-A funding round led by the Warsaw based venture capital fund ARIA. It will setup an automated production line to increase production capacities of its recyclable luminous packaging and labelling products. These are capable of lighting up, warning and displaying small animation and even contain videos, in future...
Today every CPG industry is looking for supply chain visibility. Whilst many examples can show this process at the level of one brand and its supply-chain, there are few examples of large-scale platforms. Now the European tobacco sector operates a traceability system which gives visibility across the entire supply-chain, via a digital marker on the packaging, according to Swiss headquartered developers Dentsu Tracking...
According to its most recent update on the impact of counterfeiting within the EU, the Union’s Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) estimates that the loss of direct sales in the key sectors of cosmetics & personal care, wines & spirits and pharmaceuticals, is almost €18 billion (with all sectors accounting for €50 billion). Fakes account for around 14% (€9.5 billion) of total EU sales for cosmetics and personal care, 2.5% 0f pharmaceuticals (€6 billion) and more than 5% of wines and spirits (€2.3 billion). See 2020 STATUS REPORT ON IPR INFRINGEMENT...
Many legitimate personal protection equipment(PPE) products do not have an effective anti-counterfeit protection solution. In the fight to protect both products and consumers, Systech has offered PPE manufacturers an anti-counterfeiting software solution, the Systech Brand Protection Suite™, that is deployable within weeks and includes special terms and pricing...
A new technology, developed in Australia has the potential to defend the wine export industry against the booming global trade in counterfeit wines, according to a recent report in PKN. The eBottli suite of tracking and blockchain data technologies includes geolocating services for bottles or containers and identifier labels for winemakers, helping to guarantee a wine’s authenticity...
MIWA, a technology company based in Prague in the Czech Republic since 2014, has developed what it claims is a complete business ecosystem for smart-powered reusable packaging – an ecosystem based on a clean and effective way of selling goods while minimizing packaging waste.It has created a circular system of reusable capsules, which, by using smart technology, are adaptable for today’s logistics and fit the logistic and hygienic standards of today’s supermarket chains, it says.
SML Group, an AIPIA member with specialistRFID supply chain technology for apparel and footwear manufacturers and retailers, recently undertook a survey of 20 major companies in these sectors as they swing back into operation, following the COVID-19 shutdowns throughout Asia, Europe and North America. The survey indicates that bringing visibility back to the supply chain is a top priority.
AIPIA is pleased to announce that the GS1 organisation has become sponsor of this year’s Virtual Congress. Here, the not-for-profit organization, which develops and maintains global standards for business communication, explains how the barcode on a product can do more with GS1 Digital Link:
A start-up based in Essex, UK, Iris Photonics, has developed ground breaking technology for security holograms, it says. The technology makes it much harder for criminals to illegally forgea wide range of items such as identity documents and high security packaging forcar parts, pharmaceuticals and medical equipment - such asCOVID-19 testing kits - according to the father and son team.
