SmartLabel Program Gets Boost from Digimarc

Digimarc Corporation has announced its support of SmartLabel® and the availability of Digimarc Barcode scanning capabilities within the SmartLabel app during TransparencyIQ in Chicago, which brings together leaders driving product transparency. Digimarc is offering brands and retailers a more reliable, efficient and flexible method for delivering SmartLabel to consumers, it claims. The company will be paricipating at the AIPIA Summit of the Americas (4/5 June) in Jersey City.

Tin Tunes Up for the Royal Wedding!

Electronic packaging specialists, Electropac, has joined forces with confectionery firm, Churchill’s, to produce a patriotic souvenir in advance of the Royal Wedding - a musical version of their Around London tinned giftware, filled with 150grams of assorted biscuits.

Combining AR and NFC for a Moody Smart Label

Multi-Color Corporation and Talkin’ Things are the first Internet of Things (IoT) packaging platform providers to combine Augmented Reality (AR) and NFC technology to create a unique customer experience in connected product that will help boost its sales, they say.

New Patents Raise the Game in Condition Monitoring

Infratab, the USA based provider of radio frequency sensor solutions for perishables, has added US and European wireless Internet of Things (IoT) sensor patents to its worldwide intellectual property portfolio of radio frequency sensors, software, analytics, and cloud solutions. The company is a long time member of AIPIA.

Self-Chill Can for New 7-Eleven Sparkling Coffee Drink

7-Eleven, the major convenience store chain, is rolling two ground-breaking launches into one with the introduction of its proprietary Fizzics Sparkling Cold Brew Coffee in the first self-chilling cans available to the public in the USA. During the test launch, the coffee drinks are being tested at 15 Los Angeles-area 7-Eleven® stores. The innovative Chill-Can® technology has been created by The Joseph Company International.

New generation of smart labelling technology

Each week until the USA Summit of the Americas (Jersey City 4/5 June) we are featuring one or more of the presentations which demonstrate advances in Active & Intelligent Packaging technology. This week we showcase Insignia Technologies’ innovative labels, which have proven to extend shelf-life, reduce food waste and encourage food consumption at optimal quality.

Printed ‘On Pack’ Freeze Warning Technology for Pennies

Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI) and AIPIA member American Thermal Instruments (ATI) has introduced BlindSpotz™ a new, patent-pending, freeze-warning technology that can be printed directly on a package. If the temperature of the package drops at or below 32° F (0° C) a coloured symbol appears on the exterior of the package to notify the supply chain that product has been damaged.

Microsoft and Digimarc Integrate Scanning Software in Windows® 10

Digimarc Corporation , an AIPIA member participating in the upcoming Summit of the Americas (Jersey City 4/5 June), has announced a new 15 year partnership with Microsoft. The partnership includes the integration of Digimarc scanning software into Windows, as part of the Windows 10 update. The two companies have worked together to improve retailer operational efficiency and increase consumer engagement with products.

New Patch can Replace ‘Best Before’ Label

Mechanical and chemical engineers at McMaster University in Ontario, Canada, working with biochemists from across campus, have collaborated to develop a transparent test patch, printed with harmless molecules, that can signal food contamination as it happens. The patch can be incorporated directly into food packaging, where it can monitor the contents for harmful pathogens such as E. coli and Salmonella.

Heineken enters a ‘new dimension’ with AR label

We have been waiting a while for the next Heineken adventure into the world of A&IP. Now CCL Label has partnered with 9ème Concept, a French collective of artists, to create augmented reality (AR) edition for Heineken Desperados tequila-flavoured beer. The immersive experience is launched when consumers, wearing virtual reality goggles, scan the label

AIPIA MEMBERS INPUT IS REQUESTED FOR AN IMPORTANT INTELLIGENT PACKAGING PROJECT AT PEPSICO

PepsiCo is interested in learning more about the range of emerging packaging technologies to support scan-based product identification using image based scanners. All AIPIA members offering services with the specifications below, are requested to reply to Eef de Ferrante (eef@aipia.info). Do NOT reply to this mail.

Walmart Ramping Up Blockchain Use

Several recent announcements from Walmart demonstrate its strategic move towards the use of Blockchain technologies in a number of activities. The application to patent its ‘Smart Package’ system was released by the US Patent and Trademark Office in early March.

Scalable A&IP Production on Standard Manufacturing Equipment

One of the questions we often get asked at AIPIA is ‘Can we produce an Active & Intelligent enabled pack on our existing packaging lines and at our normal production speeds?’ Well one company which has successfully integrated Printed Electronics into its folded carton and labelling production – used chiefly for pharmaceutical products – is Jones Packaging.

Packaged Summit for Enhanced Brand Success

Organisers of the Packaged Summit, which takes place in Amsterdam (25 -26 June) will enable delegates to gain access to a community of top packaging professionals who will help to enhance Brand success, ensure sustainable growth and lower costs, claim the organisers Mark Allen Group.

Alibaba Pharma Subsidiary Signs Up to Better Traceability

Brand protection and consumer connection solutions company and AIPIA member YPB Group, headquartered in NSW, Australia, has signed a contract, appointing it as an Independent Software Vendor (ISV) of the AliHealth supply chain traceability platform for the China market, through its China subsidiary. AliHealth is a subsidiary of Alibaba Group. It also intends to appoint YPB as an overseas ISV partner when it launches internationally.

The Smell of Success

We do not often get the chance to feature olfactory packaging, but Tekni-Plex, through its Tri-seal business unit, has been granted a patent for its Sniff Seal® technology which is the first liner to enable scent permeation through an induction seal closure liner without affecting the seal or compromising the contents, it says.

Temperature Monitors Work for Both Food and Pharma

Blulog recently unveiled a range of new, single-use NFC temperature data loggers at Fruit Logistica 2018 in Berlin. These NFC loggers are designed especially for use in the produce industry. The philosophy behind this solution is to provide a very affordable and easy-to-use solution for temperature monitoring of these products, says the company.

Connected Corrugated Packaging for Mass Markets

DS Smith, one of the global suppliers of corrugated packaging, is helping to amplify the benefits of serialization in the pharmaceutical industry with pre-serialized, connected corrugated packaging solutions. Its Packaging Connectivity product can link corrugated packaging to any existing or planned primary packaging serialization or run a separate system. These can either meet or anticipate the FMD requirement or enable track & trace and consumer engagement benefits, says the company.

Mountain Music – Blowing in the Bottle

NourishCo Beverages an Indian mineral water supplier has introduced a limited-edition ‘sound cap’ for bottles of its Himalayan Sparkling brand. These are designed to play various sounds of wind from the Himalayas when you twist open the cap.

Triple Whammy for Brands from Zappar

Zappar and its friends at Shazam often team up to offer some of the most exciting Augmented Reality packaging around. The presentations they make are always wildly popular features of AIPIA events. So we are pleased to confirm they will be part of the line up at the AIPIA Summit of the Americas. Here are just three reasons why big Brands love ‘em!

EAS Tagging goes Mini to Protect Fine Garments

Checkpoint Systems, a leading supplier of Electronic Article Surveillance (EAS), RFID solutions and Alpha High-Theft Solutions for the retail industry, has announced a new solution that protects fine garments without leaving a pin hole, the Needlelok™, earlier this year. Now, as forecast, the companies have introduced the Needlelok Mini.

Counterfeiting In Focus as Fakers Up the Stakes

It is one of the biggest challenges facing Brand Owners, Supply Chain professionals and Consumers as more and more fakes of just about every kind of consumable product flood markets around the world. Two AIPIA members Authentix and Scantrust have recently confronted the issue head on. Both are offering solutions but, in different ways, are trying to raise awareness of both the size of the problem and the potential hazards and consequences of industrial scale counterfeiting.

Partnership Raises the Game for Track & Trace Solutions

VerifyMe, a technology solutions company that provides identifiers and serialization for authenticating, tracking and tracing functions - including for labels and packaging - has announced a reseller agreement with eAgile, a provider of IoT Solutions including RFID labels, tags and intelligent packaging solutions. Under the terms of the agreement, eAgile will be able to offer its clients VerifyMe enabled HP Indigo Security ElectroInk, which is marketed as RainbowSecure.

Wine Fraud ‘Off the Scale’

The scale of France’s Côtes du Rhône wine fraud scandal in 2017 is larger than first thought, with new figures revealing that as many as 66.5 million bottles of wine were counterfeit, reports Securing Industry. Original estimates for the scam that began in 2013 and which was uncovered last year, suggested that the amount of fake wine was around 40 million bottles, it says.

Bubbles OF Water not Bubbles IN Water

An edible alternative to plastic water bottles made from seaweed has won the UK round of an EU competition for new, more sustainable products. The spherical or ‘bubble’ form of packaging, called Ooho is described by its makers as ‘water you can eat’. It is biodegradeable, hygenic and costs 1p per unit to make, says the developer. It is made mostly from calcium chloride and a seaweed derivative called sodium alginate.

Break the Code to Discover the Real Whisky Taste

A new single malt scotch whisky The Glenlivet Code is coming to market with an intriguing AR tasting experience created in conjunction with Shazam. The whisky, inspired by British code breakers, promises a "labyrinth of flavours that will test the senses of even the most discerning whisky drinker". It will be available in 28 markets from March 2018.

Interactive Pallet Makes Debut

The Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics IML and the European Pallet Association (EPAL) are developing the load carriers of the future at the newest Enterprise Lab in Dortmund, Germany. The first application of the interactive pallet was made public by the partners at LogiMAT 2018.

Major Blockchain Use for Logistics Increases Rapidly: Alibaba, DHL, DeFeet

Several announcements on blockchain deployment have been announced, reports Securing Industry, which all reinforce the technology’s compatibility with Active & intelligent Packaging for security and supply chain applications. Examples include: Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba is bringing its logistics arm Cainiao together with its online marketplace T-Mall to introduce blockchain technology to track goods on the platform.

Ebay Boxing Clever with AR app

Ebay in the USA has introduced a new AR-powered feature that helps sellers decide on the best box to use for shipping their items to buyers. The technology works with a range of products, the company says, including everything from car parts, kitchen wares, glass or electrical items.

Intelligent Biosensors to Track Food Spoilage

Clemson University researchers are working to develop packages that would use communication between cells to detect food that’s beginning to spoil. This ‘intelligent’ packaging would use sensors to detect biological processes – specifically, the signals cells send to each other when they start to break down.

A Lot of (SMART) Bottles!

Market research analysts Technavio forecast the global smart bottle market will grow at a CAGR of close to 15% during the period 2018-2022. This is according to their latest report which segments the global smart bottle market into the following applications (smart water bottle, smart pharmaceutical bottle, smart alcoholic beverage bottle, and smart baby feeding bottle) and key regions (the Americas, APAC, and EMEA).

Two Major New Customers for Thinfilm’s NFC Technology

Thin Film Electronics has announced British American Tobacco Global Travel Retail (BAT GTR) as a new customer. BAT GTR is launching a connected edition of its Dunhill brand products using the company’s NFC (near field communication) SpeedTap™ tags.

Wider Printhead Offers Advanced Product Identification

HP Inc recently announced a 22mm wide-swath printhead for high-speed, high-resolution marking needs. These include 1D and 2D bar codes, enabling brands to benefit from large-size codes and characters for advanced product identification, anti-counterfeiting, and track and trace, it says.

On Pack Display Shows How Much is in the Bottle

August Faller Group has designed the prototype for an innovative medication pack that captures the level in an opaque bottle of liquid medicine at the push of a button and delivers it to the patient via an integrated display.

Graphene Tag can be Etched on Food

Graphene is already well known as a ‘wonder ‘ material because it is extremely thin and strong, a great conductor of heat and electricity, is antibacterial and can even hunt cancer. But now you can have your wonder material and eat it, too! James Tour at Rice University has demonstrated a way to etch a graphene ‘ label’ onto food like bread and potatoes, as well as materials like cardboard and cloth, where it could then act as an RFID tag.

Strategic Partnership to Offer Connected Products

Meanwhile labels solutions provider Multi-Color Corporation has also been busy elsewhere with the announcement of a strategic partnership with Talkin’ Things, the smart packaging system which enables brands to communicate with consumers, protect against counterfeiting, track products throughout the supply chain, and much more!

Chilling Your wine to Perfection

We all know Aussies are partial to a cold beer, but in New Zealand they are going a step further as a notable Sauvignon Blanc producer is now using thermographic label technology to show when a wine is chilled correctly. The producer, Matua, is using Chill Check labels to identify when its Regional Series and First Frost Sauvignon Blanc are crisp and aromatic, according to a recent story in PKN.

Nano-structured Holograms Boost Anti-counterfeit Capabilities

Some eye-catching nano-structured holograms from Schur Flexibles now have built-in anti-counterfeit features. The patented anti-counterfeit film concept allows the building of a unique holographic effect into packaging. There is no use of inks, varnish or solvents involved, says the company.

Anuga Foodtec: First NanoPack Test Results to be Announced

The EU-funded NanoPack project, of which AIPIA is a partner, will reveal the results of new antimicrobial efficacy tests that demonstrate the ability of its innovative film to extend bread shelf life by an extra three weeks, at Anuga FoodTec, March 20-23, 2108 in Cologne.

AIPIA Cambridge: Consumer Interaction with Packaging

AIPIA Insignia: Smart Label Solution Keeps Control of the Food

AIPIA Wiliot: Bringing Battery Free Bluetooth to Packaging

Connected Cup Lights Up SuperBowl

A Melbourne, Australia based company Buzz Connect, was behind one of the most popular marketing features at Super Bowl 2018 - interactive Bud Light beer cups. Almost 80,000 of the beer cups were distributed to fans in the stadium and at select "watch" parties in the USA.

Successful ‘First Steps’ in Internet of Packaging

Early February saw the first ever consignments of goods using Bunzl’s SmartiX shipping label system. Dutch company Verzendverpakkingenshop.nl was the first webshop to implement 'SmartiX', which is based on Near Field Communication (NFC) and offers both B2B and B2C advantages, says the company. With this, Bunzl took it’s first step with 'Internet of Packaging' (IoP), it stated.

Seriously Clever Cereal

Nintendo and Kellogg’s® have teamed up to take fans on a breakfast journey with Super Mario™ cereal, that will continue long after the cereal box is empty. In addition to collectible Super Mario Odyssey™ box art, each box functions as an amiibo™ accessory, to make breakfast a more playful experience, say the companies.

Active Tray Solution Keeps Seafood Fresher, Longer

Maxwell Chase, a CSP Technologies company, that specializes in packaging which extends freshness and enhances food safety, will debut SeaWell™ Trays, a first-of-its-kind active solution that significantly extends the shelf life of seafood, at Seafood Expo North America in Boston, next month.

The Shelves are Alive with the Sound of Labels

Labels That Talk© (LTT), a Seattle based technology startup, is beta-testing a superhigh-density 2D barcode, Soundpaper™, in partnership with chosen companies worldwide. Soundpaper is the first barcode with enough capacity to store audio, HTML, formatted text and much more, in the barcode itself, says the company. So the barcode always works and does not require an internet connection.

If Packaging Could Talk

Interview with Keran Turakhia, Ipackaging Expertise Ltd, at the AIPIA Congress, November 2017

Kentucky FLYed Chicken

Those clever folk at KFC are always coming up with new ways to promote their Finger Lickin’ products. Sadly most of them are restricted to just a short time span and only in a particular region or market. The latest, a drone made partially from the box containing it’s smoky grilled wings, was only available in India for two days in late January. But its so cool we had to feature it!

First Aluminium Smart NFC Closure for Wine

Guala Closures chose its participation at the ‘Unified Wine & Grape Symposium’, in Sacramento USA this January to present what it claims to be the first aluminium smart closure for wine: e-WAK®. It is the first NFC closure dedicated to the wineries, it says, allowing them to start a 1 to 1 relationship with their end consumers.

Tamper Evident NFC Tag is Aimed at High Value Products

Smartrac has released the Circus Tamper Loop tag as part of a series of RFID-based products for authenticating high-value products and goods. It represents the latest in the technology company's Near Field Communication (NFC)-based product line. The tag is being sold in samples to companies such as motor oil, baby food and high-value item brands, as well as pharmaceutical manufacturers. Other potential customers are makers of premium wines and champagnes, it says.

Pressure Mounts to Develop Item Level RFID for Food

A chain restaurant is testing Avery Dennison's ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) radio frequency identification technology (RFID) as part of the labelling specialist’s Freshmarx Food Safety program. Also the company has developed a microwave-safe inlay that could be applied to food packaging without reacting adversely to microwaves, or to the heat caused by them. It hopes to encourage more food based RFID applications, in the retail sector particularly, with these initiatives.

Smart ReFill Bottles for Smarter People

There have been several versions of intelligent refillable bottles and dispensers. Several pilots have used university students as the test subjects. The idea now seems to be going more mainstream as Coca-Cola European Partners (CCEP) has launched a trial with the UK’s University of Reading targeted at reducing the amount of packaging used for its products and contributing to a more sustainable campus environment.

Just Add Water – The Drink is ON the Cup!

Smart Cups, an innovative drinks manufacturer, has introduced some proprietary technology with a new product line of energy drinks. The pioneer of an exclusive 3D-polycapsule printing delivery system, Smart Cups transforms a virtually empty vessel into a self-stirring energy drink with just the addition of water. The technology has applications across a variety of industries , including food, pharmaceuticals and beyond, says the company.

Smart Partnership for Smarter Packaging Solutions

AIPIA members Selinko, the Internet of Things (IoT) solution provider, and Henkel, the global adhesive and coatings specialist, have announced a collaboration agreement to expand and improve smart and interactive packaging solutions especially focussing on FMCG markets.

Smart Packaging Helps Smooth Out the Wrinkles

Technology and product design firm Cambridge Design Partnership (CDP) teamed up with global beauty brand Avon to use smart packaging to support consumer trials of a revolutionary new anti-ageing product. The companies were able to uncover the truth about how triallists were actually using ANEW Reversalist Infinite Effects Night Treatment Cream during a month-long trial in their own homes. The trial was featured at the recent AIPIA Congress.

RFID now Tracks Levi Clothing in Brazil

The Brazilian subsidiary of Levi's American brand of jeans and other apparel, is now using RFID for tracking and inventory control. The successful deployment, carried out by iTag Tecnologia, is showing positive results following its deployment during the second half of 2017.

New Antimicrobial Material Protects Cooked and Uncooked Foods

India’s largest flexible packaging company, Uflex has developed new packaging material with anti-microbial properties to improve shelf life of packed, cooked foods. The FDA approved packaging material will help to reduce microbial growth, enabling to keep the pouch active and enhance the shelf life of the cooked food, it claims.

Partnership Brings ‘Internet of Packaging’ to SmartLabel

A US provider of QR Code mobile technology services, Scanbuy, has teamed up with AIPIA member Kezzler to bring the internet of packaging (IOP) to consumer packaged goods companies and retailers. Kezzler provides business services for product serialisation, tracking and tracing.

Packaging That Can Power Itself

Two researchers are studying how to create smart packaging that converts the bumps and friction that packages encounter in the distribution environment into energy that can power sensors to monitor products in transit.

RFID Use in Apparel Sector: At the tipping Point?

Mark Roberti, editor of RFID Journal says it's been clear for the past few years that retail apparel will be the first market to adopt radio frequency identification technology on a large scale. Apparel is RF-friendly, and each item comes in a variety of colours and sizes, making it difficult to manage inventory effectively.

BRIC Economies Ramp Up Track & Trace for Pharma

Two of the major BRIC countries, Brazil and Russia, are increasing their efforts to ensure traceability and authentication of pharmaceutical products, according to Securing Industry.

New App Improves Pharma Security Feature

BitSecure is a copy detection pattern created by the Competence Center Schreiner ProSecure using printed digital security features based on a high-resolution, cloud-like random pattern which enables digital authentication of pharmaceutical packaging using a smartphone app. At Pharmapack 2018 (Paris Feb 7-8), Schreiner MediPharm will present a new app for BitSecure authentication with selected smartphones as well as the latest generation of handheld readers.

AIPIA Members Offered Free Coverage in American Markets

AIPIA’s partners in the upcoming AIPIA Americas Summit, Brand Experience Magazine (BXP), are making an exciting offer of free publicity to AIPIA members who would like to participate in a special issue...

IKEA Printed Electronics Open Innovation Challenges

IKEA is looking into the area of Printed Electronics (PE) for ideas that could transform its operations. As a first step, the company will run two Open Innovation Challenges. The challenges are in the areas of Digital Communication Carriers and E-Labels.

Drink Wine..Hear Voices? Its All about the Label!

Treasury Wine Estates (TWE), based in Victoria, Australia and whose brands include Penfolds, Wolf Blass and Lindemans’, has partnered with a company called Tactic on an augmented reality (AR) campaign that sees labels tell stories via an app.

Three New Packs Can Help Patients Manage Their Medication

At Paris Pharmapack (7-8 Feb 2018) August Faller is presenting three prototypes of smart packaging. The company’s folding boxes are designed to improve compliance and make it easier for patients to manage their medication.

Microholograms Protect 10 Million Drug Packets

Optaglio, the research organisation based in the Czech Republic, which specializes in high resolution e-beam lithography security holograms, claims it has delivered anti-counterfeit protection for more than 10 million drug packets in Q4 2017, mostly technologies for covert or forensic protection to supplement visible elements.

WorldStar for the Cap that Talks to Your Customer

Kisico, based in Germany, has scooped a WorldStar for its innovative cap, which features a NFC-Chip that is fully integrated in the cap, so is tamper-free and invisible from the outside, it claims.

Photochromics Add Fun to Cheetos Promotion

Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI), based in Colorado Springs, expanded its photochromic ink capability throughout Mexico with a Cheetos-exclusive promotion: "Where is Chester?", in late summer and autumn. The brand hid Chester from its bags, making him visible only by exposing the package to sunlight, so grabbing consumers’ attention, and bringing awareness to the promotion, according to a recent article in PKN, Australia.

Musical Bottle Suits Your Mood!

Together with the biggest Russian manufacturer of microelectronics CCL Kontur has produced innovative promotional labels with integrated NFC-tags for Miller Alcohol Free. The NFC-tag functions as an active recording device that enables the use of consumers’ mobile phones for marketing communication with no need for additional applications.

Cross Border Cooperation Needed to Fight Illicit Trade

In a white paper ‘Implementing Digital Solutions to Address the Issue of Cross-border Illicit Trade’, the Coalition Against Illicit Trade (CAIT) says the complexity of supply chains means “carefully designed inter-connected systems, a well-planned approach to supply chain security and consumer safety” is required if counterfeiting and smuggling are to be defeated.

Printed 3D Nano-structures to Replace 2D Hologram Tags

German researchers have come up with an anti-counterfeit technology based on 3D micro-printed structures that, they say, could be used in place of conventional 2D features like holograms, according to a report appearing in Securing Industry.

Locking Cap Design Prevents Drug Pilfering

A new tamper evident and pilfer resistant pharmaceutical pack is not only effective but has a unique combination lock feature to give it a strong visual impact. Launched in August, Secure Medication Systems LLC’s Safe Rx® line of Locking Prescription Vials (LPVs™) recently won a US pharmacy industry's annual award for innovation in its product category. The company is raising capital to support the scaling of its operations.

Award Winning Marker Technology for Plastics Packaging

Sustainability is an important issue, particularly for A&IP which is helping to reduce waste. Here is a smart piece of technology which helps plastics packaging be more easily reclaimed. So, while coming at the issue from a slightly different angle it is certainly worthy of a mention.

Combination of Active and Passive Protects Nutraceuticals

Clariant, a leading specialty chemicals provider, with a Healthcare Packaging business unit, has announced a combination of packaging solutions that protect the potency and extend the shelf life of probiotics in nutraceutical products by inhibiting their exposure to certain elements.

Socially Responsible Packaging with a Purpose

Spectra Packaging Solutions has developed a range of products designed at giving brands packaging with a purpose as part of their social responsibility initiatives, it is reported by Packaging News. The UK based manufacturer has introduced Illuminate, a print finish that is aimed at brands seeking an anti-counterfeiting packaging solution.

Blockchain and RFID Combine to Fight Fake Chinese Milk Powder

A start-up firm is combining Blockchain with radio-frequency identification in a bid to fight fakes and improve trust in the supply chain of milk powder products in China, according to a recent article in Securing Industry (the article appeared originally in Business Insider).

How to Build Your Pack: the AR Way.

DS Smith has launched an Augmented Reality (AR) app, which enables automotive companies to communicate key information to suppliers globally. Historically, the company would send automotive customers traditional paper documents or weblinks to videos, which showed how to assemble packaging.

QR Concept Can Lead to Better Eating Habits

A digital platform aimed to inspire healthy breakfast habits became a winning concept when the students at Bergh's School of Communication competed to come up with a way Arla Foods could reach out and engage young consumers through digital interactivity based on packaging as a platform. Breakfast Stories stood out as an idea and design with potential to bring about true behavioral change.

New Partnership Offers ‘End to End’ Smart Labels

Skanem Group, a major European supplier of product decoration solutions, has joined forces with Magic Add and UPM Raflatac for its Smart Label range. Magic Add generates unique identifiers/ codes and manages them with a cloud based content and data management platform. With applications on manufacturing, logistics, and marketing, the technology can solve many issues from counterfeit goods to food waste. UPM Raflatac’s role in the cooperation is to act as a concept adviser and material expert.

AIPIA goes West!

Following on from the highly successful World Congress last month in Amsterdam , AIPIA executive director Eef de Ferrante has announced that the association is working with US partner Brand Experience Magazine to organise an AIPIA Summit in New Jersey on 4th & 5th June 2018.

Tune into Your Favourite Beer Can

The iconic record label Island Records has partnered with Crown Bevcan Europe and Middle East, a business unit of Crown Holdings, to launch the world’s first “Shazamable” can for its Session IPA Beer. The collaboration was recognized at the Annual World Beverage Innovation Awards, held in September at Drinktec in Munich, Germany, where the range won Best Can or Alubottle.

Standard Barcode Turns into a Smart Communicator

Multi Packaging Solutions, (MPS), a WestRock company and a leader in value-added print and packaging solutions for the healthcare, branded consumer and multi-media markets, is making packaging smarter through a partnership with Smartglyph, a UK technology business.

Bringing the Walking Dead to Life!

A recent partnership between Mountain Dew and TV channel AMC brought characters from the exceptionally popular show, The Walking Dead to life…so to speak. Through an augmented reality app, consumers were able to experience some of the show’s most iconic zombie walkers in their own real-world environments and then share the interaction via social media.

Digital Packaging Solution for Food and Pharma

Constantia Flexibles has launched Constantia Interactive, a digital packaging solution for the food and pharmaceutical industries which includes digitally readable packaging material, digital platform for data management and a smartphone app

Counterfeit Plain Packs of Cigarettes appear in UK

The Consumer Packaging Manufacturers Alliance (CPMA) has expressed its concern over the discovery of counterfeit tobacco plain packs in the UK according to a recent report in Packaging News. Betterretailing.com reported that the first counterfeit standardised packs of tobacco in the UK were uncovered by Retail Express and trading standards departments.

Venture Capitalists Invest in Battery-Free Bluetooth ‘Smart Everything’

Wiliot, a fabless semiconductor start-up company, has closed an investment round with Qualcomm Ventures, the investment arm of Qualcomm Incorporated, and M Ventures, the strategic, corporate venture capital arm of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, a leading science and technology company. The announcement was made in conjunction with the opening of the AIPIA Congress in Amsterdam where the company made its first public presentation to leaders in the packaging industry.

‘Talkin’ Trillions’ as New Partnership Opens Up Smart Packaging Solutions

Talkin’ Things®and PragmatIC have announced a strategic partnership to make products talk, they claim. Talkin’ Things® will embed PragmatIC’s flexible integrated circuits into its smart packaging solution to bring consumer engagement and brand protection to trillions of products, as well as personalised marketing campaigns and the ability to measure return on investment, using a suite of user friendly tools.

‘Beyond the Seal’ the Future of Smart Caps

With lives becoming more connected via the internet, co-founder of Water.io, Yoav Hoshen figures now is the time to leverage web-enabled technology in the caps and closures business. He sees a relationship with containers that can go far beyond the utilitarian, according to a report in Plastics News. They will exhibit their technology during the Congress

Opportunities in Asia for Active & Intelligent Packaging

Two of our speakers this year will focus on the opportunities for A&IP technologies in Asia and offer some useful insights into how Western companies can exploit these in both the mature markets of Japan and the growing economies of China and Asia generally. Indeed all of the analysts are predicting that the A&IP sector will find its biggest growth in the Far East as the rapidly expanding middle classes demand more and better CPGs but have less time to shop – hence more complex supply chains and higher value products. But the biggest driver will be the smartphone...

‘All-in-One’ Solution for Product Protection

A newcomer to membership of AIPIA, Advanced Track & Trace has been a long-time partner of food, beverage and cosmetic brands for the protection of products. The company is exhibiting at the AIPIA Congress, presenting its all-in-one solution for product protection through packaging.

Hybrid Printing and Digital Tech to ‘Revolutionise’ Smart Packaging

The next generation of packaging tends to drive high added value and new revenues opportunities to conventional packaging and make it fun, exciting and now intelligent using innovative Printed Electronics says MGI and CERADROP. The companies are developing products and equipment for scalable smart 3D printing and printed electronics (PE).

Two time elapsed indicators, which one is right for you?

“The original, microfluidic time indicator tells you at a glance if a product is still safe to use. It reduces doubt, waste, risk, and saves money. New for 2017 is our refined electronic time indicator, which offers the best intelligent monitoring on the market: real time product status display with proactive communication,” explains Pete Higgins, founder and CEO of UWI Technology.

Partnering to Deliver Brand Protection Solutions in Asia

Systech International, a global technology leader in product safety and consumer and brand protection, and Toppan, a leading integrated printing company and innovator in product packaging and security solutions, has announced a strategic agreement. The accord allows Toppan to serve as a Systech preferred partner to market UniSecure™ in Japan and other Asian-Pacific markets.

Bringing Augmented Reality to Smart Products at Industrial Scale

EVRYTHNG, the Internet of Things Smart Products Platform, and Zappar, a global leader in augmented reality (AR), have announced a new partnership. Expanding its ability to web-enable physical products at scale, EVRYTHNG now allows brands to power AR applications—as well as a full suite of digital product lifecycle applications—via their products.

Smartix boosts Internet or Packaging with NFC concept

Smartix, a concept developed by Bunzl, has given its intelligent packaging solution a significant boost to the development of the Internet of Packaging, it says. Using Near Field Communication (NFC) communication technology, which is available with virtually any smartphone, the application brings the "Internet of Things" to packaging a lot closer, according to Bunzl.

QR Codes Coming of Age for Brand Owners?

Amazon’s ability to personalize consumer marketing is very powerful. Prompts on product pages offering items similar to those you’ve browsed and bought are just the start. The site also uses social info, shopping history and big data to determine products that would be “just right” for you. Brands trying to develop a nuanced marketing program need to be smart about reaching customers.

Dealing with the downside of date codes in a data age

The arguments regarding Sell By, Use By and Best Before dates on packs of perishable continue to excite the interest of Brand Owners, Retailers and Regulators, not to mention the poor, confused, or misled, consumer. The European Commission has had several forays into the subject and it is quite clear from several reports and studies that date codes on labels should be nearing the end of their own particular “shelf-life.”

Opening Doors in Innovation: the Avery Dennison I.Lab™

Our world is getting faster, smaller and more competitive. The line between the physical and digital is blurring. Consumers are now more informed, empowered and demanding than ever before and expect seamless experiences in all parts of their lives. The ‘internet of things’ (IoT) has become a reality and before we know it, everything we own will have a unique digital identity.

Five Million Reasons Why Holograms are Secure

OPTAGLIO, a research centre situated in Lochovice in the Czech Republic has announced it has exceeded 5 million dpi (dots per inch) resolution on holograms, according to an article in Packaging Europe. The advance enhances visual based protections against counterfeiters, as this level of resolution is beyond the reach of potential attackers, according to the developers.

Smart Shelves as well as Smart Packs help with ‘the Tap’

Thin Film Electronics has announced that GlaxoSmithKline (GSK), one of the world’s leading research-based pharmaceutical and healthcare companies, has commercially deployed its SpeedTap™ tags to create interactive ‘smart’ shelves for enhanced communication with consumers

Blockchain Technology to Halt Whisky Fraud

Advanced Research Cryptography , better known as, Arc-net, located in Belfast Northern Ireland, has developed a blockchain-based traceability solution to tackle food fraud. Arc-Net has announced that Dunfermline distillery Adelphi Ardnamurchan has placed its limited edition spirit on its blockchain platform in a move that secures the whisky from food fraud.

Scaling IoT with Battery-Free Bluetooth

Imagine a Bluetooth chip with an infinite lifetime, a small sticker about the size of a small coin with processing power and sensors, for a fraction of the price of traditional devices. Wiliot says it wants to liberate the Internet of Things (IoT) from battery powered beacons. So Stephen Statler, its SVP of marketing and business development will present some user cases around how they are achieving this ambition.

Real-time Parcel Tracking Gets Commercial Roll Out

Internet of Things innovator Hanhaa, today announced that its ParceLive service is now being commercially deployed by a ‘first wave’ of its logistics partners.These companies will use the system to track shipments, support customer service and analyze network efficiency. Further partnership announcements will follow shortly, says the company.

New Data Loggers Offer Improved Functions and Performance

Blulog, which specializes in cold chain optimization solutions, has launched a new version of its remote, real-time monitoring system. Its RF data loggers, used by more than 150 companies in 50 countries, enable remote and real-time monitoring of cold rooms, warehouses, refrigerated trucks and other storage areas of temperature-sensitive products.

Get Ready for Your Digital Congress Beer!

Soon, consumers will be able to buy, digital beer, as well as other consumables, capable of providing information about the product itself and its production stages with the aid of smart codes and the sensors embedded in the product. And it will happen sooner than you think! So VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland’s senior research scientist Maria Smolander will explain to Congress delegates all about TagitSmart and how its coming to a beer (and other things) near you, soon!

New RFID Tag Operates on Metallic Surfaces

RFID and Internet of Things (IoT) solutions company Smartrac has launched the Midas FlagTag, designed for use on consumer goods and industrial components with metallic, plastic and cardboard surfaces. The design uses the metallic surface as part of the antenna structure which helps to improve performance in less demanding physical environments. It also provides cost advantages compared to foam-based inlays and hard tags typically designed for use on surfaces in tougher industrial environments, it claims.

Future Perspectives of Near Field Communication for Packaging

We talk about Near Field Communication, (NFC) in almost every issue of this newsletter. It is one of the fundamental technologies for implementation of Intelligent Packaging functionalities in a vast number of the products we discuss.

Activating consumers as part of value creation and capture with packaging

Strauss Group is an Israel-based international food and beverage company that is at the forefront of implementing Active & Intelligent packaging and helping to improve people’s lives. Its portfolio includes five businesses: Strauss Coffee, Strauss Israel, Strauss Water, PepsiCo – Strauss Fresh Dips & Spreads International and Max Brenner, aligned with two global consumer trends: Health & Wellness and Fun & Indulgence.

Everyday products join Internet of Packaging thanks to pre-serialization

The digitalization of products is happening at record pace, giving birth to the Internet of Packaging and opening an interactive highway of information connecting stakeholders across the value chain, from brands and consumers, to manufacturers and regulators. This new digital avenue is enabled by serialization at mass scale, where encrypted unique IDs carry and transmit information throughout every step of the product-cycle.

Eat Up Your Packaging! Its good for You...

The edible packaging trend fits right into the "reduce, reuse, recycle" formula by eliminating materials which require fossil fuels to produce them and usually wind up in a landfill somewhere. A recent report estimates that the edible packaging market will be valued at $1.1 billion by 2023, from $697 million in 2016. Whether edible packaging becomes commonly available for food items depends a lot on overcoming production issues as well as reducing the cost of manufacture.

New Resin Additive ‘Can Double Shelf-Life’ of Food

Mitsubishi Gas Chemical America now offers an oxygen-absorbing technology for pouch packaging that can more than double the shelf life of some food products. The technology keeps food looking and tasting fresher for longer on store shelves and consumer pantries, resulting in less food wasted throughout the supply chain, says a report in Plastics Today.

Packaging Strategies for Food Shelf-life Extension

There are few areas of A&IP which are attracting more attention than the technologies to offer longer shelf life and, so reduce food waste. This is not just a business issue, but one of international importance to Governments and the United Nations as well as the global population who, depending where they are, want better food, safer food… or just food.

What We Need from Printed Electronics

Printed Electronics is one of the core products of the Active & Intelligent Packaging revolution. It has the potential to be the breakthrough technology for reducing costs and expanding functionality of intelligent packaging solutions, as well as providing both simple and highly sophisticated tracking and inspection systems (such as time, temperature indicators incorporating alerts and GPS).

Oxygen Barrier System for Bag-in-Box Wines

Rapak, part of DS Smith, Plastics Division, has developed an oxygen scavenger active packaging system that significantly decreases the oxygen levels on wine bags, increases product shelf-life and provides a premium customer experience, it claims.

New Heat-Activated, Tamper-Evident Ink Improves Detection

Chromatic Technologies Inc (CTI) announced the introduction of Tamper Alert, a new irreversible, heat-activated ink technology to identify tamper evidence in labels and packaging for chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, electronics and other products targeted for theft and counterfeiting.

Disrupting the Way We Look at Packaging

A world of connected packaging sounds impressive but how can a FMCG/CPG brand benefit? The technology is impressive but how can brands use this to translate to tangible value in their terms. This, of course, is one of the big questions that many Brand Owners are asking about A&IP. Some, for sure, have found compelling answers. But if proof is needed….

Smart Packaging to Accelerate Value Creation

Consumer packaging has become increasingly important as a value-adding element, since packages shape the consumer's experience of the product during use, as well as accelerating the purchase decision. The strategic benefits of viewing packaging as a central value carrier are clear. To consumers, the product and its packaging are often regarded as closely integrated and consumers' initial impression of the quality and value of a product is sometimes determined by their judgment of the package. Adding digitized content to the package is seen as a major ‘next step’ in this value creation process.

New Traceability Kit for Perishable Goods Import/Export

DeltaTrak® has announced the release of its new ColdTrak Import/Export Traceability Kit at the recent Asia Fruit Logistica event in Hong Kong. This kit includes the new FlashLink Real-Time In-Transit (RTL) logger, the FlashLink PDF In-Transit Logger, and ThermoTrace TTI labels. With this solution, customers have real-time access to temperature history reports, import/export documents and inspection certificates upload into ColdTrak, says the company.

Confidence in Food Supply Chain Drops

UK consumer confidence in the global food supply chain is dwindling following a number of high profile food fraud scandals, a new survey has found, according to a Securing Industry article. The National Farmers Union (NFU) Mutual Food Fraud Report 2017, which surveyed 2027 people, found that one third of consumers were less trusting of products and retailers than they were five years ago, compared with only 9% whose trust has increased.

The Digital Future of Retail and Consumer Goods Companies

The first Keynote at this year’s AIPIA Congress takes us to the heart of one of the key drivers of active and intelligent packaging implementation. The retail and consumer goods industries will change more in the next 10 years than they have over the past 40. One primary force is responsible—digitalization—and it has already begun.

Like AIPIA on Facebook and win a FREE congress ticket

AIPIA is now on Facebook as well! Go to our Facebook page and like us. Because you know... it is always nice to be liked. We like you as well, because together we are transforming the packaging industry. From a wrap around a product to a highly advanced marketing tool. Come and like us!

Report Say RFID is Revolutionizing Pharma Industry

According to a recent report from TMR Research the market for RFID in the pharmaceuticals industry is currently at the developing stage, with enormous growth possibilities, says RFID Journal. The study, titled "RFID in Pharmaceuticals Market—Global Industry Analysis, Size, Share, Growth, Trends and Forecast 2017 – 2025," sees the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has played a pivotal role in accelerating the adoption of RFID in the drug-delivery market, since the technology helps to strengthen anti-counterfeiting and track-and-trace efforts.

New NFC Chip Expands Use Possibilities

NFC Semicon™ has announced a 3rd generation NFC SystemOn-Chip Platform that comes with more interfaces and use possibilities than existing NFC transponder chips, it claims. It is a ‘single chip solution’ with integrated controller and real time clock that can connect to any type of sensor or other circuit and is fully functioning without battery or can be battery-assisted, for automatic data logging and time stamping, says the company.

The digital future of finishing: beyond digital printing.

Digital print for packaging is worth $13.2 billion in 2017, and will climb to $23.2 billion in 2022, according to research from Smithers Pira. As such it represents a key growth area for the print industry, plus new market opportunities for packaging converters and their brand customers.

Printed and Hybrid Manufacturing for Intelligent Packaging Applications

TagItSmart! TIS is an EU funded project which sets out to redefine the way we think of everyday mass-market objects not normally considered as part of an IoT ecosystem. These new smarter objects will dynamically change their status in response to a variety of factors and be seamlessly tracked during their lifecycle. This will change the way users-to-things interactions are viewed.

Interactive Coffee Cup Hots Up the Coffee Moment

Huhtamaki has launched an interactive cup featuring a heat sensitive label and a QR code that links to digital content. The Adtone cup has a thermosensitive label that reveals the unique code as the cup is filled with a hot beverage. The heat from the beverage activates the thermochromic printing on the label revealing the QR code.

Real Finger Lickin’ Freshness Just Got Smarter

FRESHCODE is a smart labelling system, which has been developed by packaging research institute, ITENE, based in Spain and Kao Chimigraf, also from Spain, as part of a European Commission funded SME programme. It is an advanced solution for fresh food trays, specifically for boneless chicken breast fillets in modified atmosphere packaging.

Is Blockchain Based Authentication the Future of Serialization?

What is Blockchain? In essence, it is a tool for maintaining transparent and distributed ledgers that can verify transactions (including financial ones) with minimal third party involvement. These ledgers are not held in a central location but rather spread across a network of computers. And it is transparent in the sense that every transaction is made public for all to see.

Paper Based Sensor Tracks Food Spoilage and Contamination

Scientists at Clarkson University based near New York have developed a low cost, portable, paper-based smart label that can detect spoilage and contamination of food and cosmetics, and provide easy to-read results, it claims.

Bio-Based Packaging Film with Oxygen Scavenging

The Fraunhofer Institute, an AIPIA member, working with the Technical University in Munich and others has engineered a multilayer bio-based packaging film which uses a mixture of gallic acid (GA) and sodium carbonate as an oxygen scavenger .

Bringing Products to Life Thru Packaging!

This Spring Shazam, already famous for its eponymous music recognition app, launched a new augmented reality (AR) platform. Founded in 2000, Shazam’s mobile app lets you identify songs playing in the background by tapping a button. But it has long since branched out into other verticals, such as packaging. The company recently announced its billionth app download overall.

Tracking Pharmaceuticals in Asia to’ Fight Flood of Fakes’

A pilot project intended to show how 2D datamatrix codes can help track medicines through the supply chain has been carried out in Malaysia, reports Securing Industry. The pilot is important "due to the many counterfeit pharmaceutical products currently flooding this market and the high instances of theft while products are in transit," said GS1 Malaysia, which was involved in the project.

Where next for Augmented Reality: CONGRESS TOPIC

A recent article in Food Navigator cast a quizzical eye at Augmented Reality (AR) and how it might gain more traction in the packaging sector. “In 2011 it looked like AR would become as ubiquitous as the barcode in food packaging as marketers sought new ways to entice customers with more immersive experiences,” says the author Elaine Watson.

Boom Box from Burger Barons

In celebration of the McFlurry’s 22nd anniversary — which was originally created in Canada — McDonald's Canada, the University of Waterloo's Audio Research Group along with the Toronto-based industrial design group Stacklab has created a limited time product, the McBoombox, which doubles as your drinks tray and an amplifier/speaker for your smartphone.

Focus on Top Trends for RFID in Global Retail: CONGRESS TOPIC

With bricks-and-mortar stores decline, NXP Semiconductors reports that omnichannel services continue to grow. Smart supply chain management with advanced tracking and monitoring capabilities, enabled by RAIN RFID, support both short- and extended-range communication, says NXP and are empowering retailers to address a multitude of new use cases.

Message in a Bottle? No, on the Can!

Ardagh Group has come up with a nice twist for a thermochromic ink application with a new solution for the beverage market. Printing on aluminium cans uses two different thermochromic inks, which both develop the same colour when cooled down. However, once the can warms up again, one colour disappears quicker than the other to reveal a hidden message for the consumer. The revealed message supports highly targeted marketing activities.

PART 2: HOW TO MANAGE CONNECTED PACKAGING AND PRINT

With the spreading of smartphones, QR codes became very popular in marketing and advertising about six years ago. But then it all seemed to come to a grinding halt, at least in the Western world. Why? One of the main reasons is that the experience people got when scanning a QR code was disappointing. The pay-offs were illegible (for example, a desktop site on a mobile screen), not relevant (for example, link to the company’s home page instead of detailed product information), out-of-date, hard-to-download (outdoor internet connection was poor in those days), etc. And marketers quickly decided that QR codes were ugly...

Water-Soluble Film for Single-Dose Packs Can Reach New Markets

Mondi’s technical films business has created and introduced a water soluble film for the smart and convenient packing and dosing of powders, tabs and granulates. Dissolving completely in water, the film is ideal for single doses of dry materials, such as dishwasher and laundry tabs or bath salts.

Combination label with QR code, RFID and NFC : CONGRESS TOPIC

SECURIKETT® Ulrich & Horn GmbH now offers a security label featuring a dual RFID/NFC chip in addition to a QR code. Its use in the CODIKETT® web application for product tracking and authentication was demonstrated for the first time at interpack..

CONGRESS TOPIC: Absolut-ly Fabulous Internet of Things

One of this year’s Key Note addresses is a user case. Markus Wulff, who is Digital Business Innovation Manager at the Absolut Company will offer insights in the Pernod-Ricard (Absolut’s parent company) ‘Connected Packaging’ pilot. With a changing role for brands Markus' focus is on the Internet of Things (IoT) and how it can be leveraged to deliver new products and services that drive positive business outcomes and end-user value.

‘Largest Ever’ Deployment of NFC Tags in Wines and Spirits

Thin Film Electronics the major NFC mobile marketing and smart product solutions provider, is partnering with Spanish winemaker, Barbadillo, with the launch of a consumer-focused marketing campaign using Thinfilm’s SpeedTap™ tags and CNECT Brand Analytics SaaS Platform.

CONGRESS TOPIC: Blockchain Gains Support in Food Supply Chain

The food industry is warming up to blockchain, according to Ambrosus, the Swiss startup which was founded last year, but officially launched late in July this year. An Initial Coin Offering (ICO) will begin in September. According to its website, the company aims to use cutting-edge technology to improve the food supply chain: “Combining high-tech sensors, blockchain protocol and smart contracts, to build the world’s first publicly verifiable, community-driven ecosystem to assure the quality, safety, and origins of food.”

RFID Puts You in Control of the Coffee Bean

While many people take their coffee drinking seriously, even those with a proper espresso machine at home do not roast their own beans. This is typically done on an industrial scale using specialist equipment, far away from the end user. Now Bonaverde intend to bring roasting into the kitchen with the first all-in-one machine that turns raw, green coffee beans into ‘proper coffee’ thanks largely to RFID technology.

Packaging a Podcast ‘Adds Tactility’ to Listening Experience

A student at the UK’s Royal College of Art (RCA), graduate Seungtae Oh, has created packaging designs for podcasts including Serial and 99% Invisible to add tactility to the listening experience. Oh's Making Podcast Physical project explores the ways podcasts could go beyond audio-only. It also asks how producers could exploit printed materials as a way of boosting their show's identity.

Mobile Sensor Platforms Now Include NFC Capabilities

Thinfilm Electronics, one of the leaders in NFC (near field communication) mobile marketing and smart product solutions, has announced a partnership with Cratus Technology, which will integrate Thin Films technology into mobile sensor platforms, enabling location sensing and tamper-evidence monitoring of high-value goods through a smartphone or commercial reader.

Fake Cosmetics Purchased by 25% of Online Consumers

A new report indicates that at least 25% of consumers surveyed have unknowingly bought fake cosmetics and personal care products. The MarkMonitor data suggests that ecommerce may be helping facilitate the sale of counterfeit beauty items.

The END of Counterfeiting with Quantum Technology

An article in Securing Industry claims new quantum technology from a British university will "make counterfeiting impossible". Developed by Lancaster University, the atomic-scale tech uses the two-dimensional material graphene to generate a unique identity tag that can be scanned by a smartphone.

Adhesive Film Will Be Antimicrobial

An EU project FLEXPOL brings together a consortium of research and industry partners from Italy, Spain, Portugal, United Kingdom and Germany to develop a pilot line for cost-efficient antimicrobial adhesive film manufacturing.

New Pouch Keeps Produce Safe – It’s a Gas!

Agricultural Research Service (ARS) scientists in Florida, led by plant pathologist Jinhe Bai, are helping a company develop a small plastic pouch designed to make produce safer. The pouch releases chlorine dioxide gas, which eliminates Escherichia coli bacteria and other pathogens from the surfaces of fruits and vegetables. The research focuses on finding ways to reduce pathogen contamination of produce.

New Agreement Will Speed Up NFC Adoption

AIPIA has joined forces with The NFC Forum by signing a liaison agreement. The Forum has also inked a similar agreement with the Wireless Power Consortium (WPC). These alliances will allow for the adoption and usability of Near Field Communication (NFC) in packaging and wireless charging.

Interesting A&IP Related Events for your Diary

Dateline Wednesday, Oct 4, our friends at Packaging Management and Packaging will be organize their first Food Waste Congress 2017 in Bussum, near Amsterdam. The congress topics will look at the prevention of food waste and the role that packaging can play in this.

SURVEY: develop active and intelligent packaging in Asia

This survey is to do with the Chinese market and will help us measure the level of interest in developing links or running events. This is open to ALL members and, even if you already have contacts/establishments/ representatives in this country, or somewhere in Asia, which covers the China market, your views are still important. We are sending this survey in conjunction with PRIME Consulting, our representative office in China.

Why and how brands are making their packaging and print digitally connected

Article by AIPIA member LINKZ: It is no longer just millennials that tweet, pin, chat, snap and scan. People are using their smartphones to interact with the world around them. Therefore it is important for brands to be present and consistent across more media channels than ever. Connected packaging and print is a powerful new channel. It means that people can use their smartphone to scan a trigger and in return receive digital content, which adds value to the customer experience. Brands are discovering this exciting new channel, which can also help them gain detailed insight into customer behaviour and preferences...

SURVEY: Intelligent packaging sustainability

This survey can be filled in by every member who manufactures RFID/NFC tags, uses them as a component, or actually uses them/is considering using them as an ‘on pack’ device (so Brand owners or Retailers particularly). This is part of our work with the OE-A Sustainability Working Group and will help us enormously to contribute to its work on the issues of recycling of packaging containing RFID/NFC tags which is currently under discussion by the European Commission.

New Pharma Label: Seeing Stars is All about Security

Covectra, a serialization, authentication, and track and trace technology services provider, recently launched StellaGUARD, a new security solution for pharma products. The label is embedded with stars that are arranged in unique and random patterns and contain a serialized GS1 2D barcode, enabling real time authentication and serialized pedigree tracking through the use of a mobile app, also developed by Covectra.

Africa Looks to RFID for Improved Cool Chain Security

SGS, the Swiss-based inspection, verification, testing and certification services company, is currently in discussions with several businesses in Africa to track cold-chain goods as they are transported by truck, so identifying or preventing thefts.

Biodegradable AND Antimicrobial Food Packaging

Researchers at Kaunas University of Technology (KTU) in Lithuania are creating biodegradable food packaging materials which, in addition, will keep food fresh for longer, they claim.

Integration of GSI Standards with IoT Technology

EVRYTHNG, the Internet of Things (IoT) smart products platform for consumer products, has launched the first ever integration of EVRYTHNG Active Digital Identities™ with GS1 Standards, it says. The integration enables brands to use the billions of existing GS1 identifiers deployed on consumer goods to web-enable their products and drive new digital applications across the product lifecycle. EVRYTHNG is a member of the GS1 US Solution Partner Program.

Electronic Pack Controls Dosing of Nasal Medication

Aptar Pharma, an international manufacturer of drug delivery systems, has announced the approval, by the European Medicines Agency (EMA), of the first integrated electronic nasal spray lockout device (e-Lockout). The device/package has been developed in partnership with Takeda Pharmaceuticals. EMA has granted marketing authorization for this multidose nasal spray treatment under the name Instanyl DoseGuard™.

RFID in Fashion at Top UK Retailer

One of the UK’s leading department store retailers, John Lewis, has deployed ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) EPC RFID technology at 34 of its 46 stores to improve inventory management of key fashion products. The rollout took place in only three months at the end of 2016, with 25,000 stock-keeping units (SKUs) including lingerie, sleepwear, swimwear and men's formal wear now being tracked.

New Security Label Range Offers Supply Stability

UPM Raflatac has launched four new products for security labeling for the European market, all of which guarantee long-term supply stability, it claims. The new Raflasec range of security labeling materials promises a full 30-month window for any requalification requirements, with a two-year shelf life from the date of manufacture and six months' notice of any future change.

Real-Time Logger Offers Instant Data Access

AIPIA member DeltaTrak® announced the release of a new, single use, FlashLink Real-Time Monitoring Solution during the United Fresh Expo, in Chicago. This system combines the FlashLink Real-Time In-Transit Logger with a 24/7 cloud service.

EU Moves Towards Inclusion of QR Codes on Pharma Packs

Allowing QR codes on medicines packaging is being considered by European regulators, reflecting the shift towards digital communication between drug makers and patients, according to a recent article in Securing Industry. The move shows that EU regulators are in favor of using on-pack codes in a way that extends beyond compliance with the drug authentication principles – based on 2D datamatrix codes - enshrined within the Falsified Medicines Directive.

KFC Bucket Doubles as Sound & Light Box

KFC’s creative team has come up with a new pack for the South African market, designed to make suppertime a ‘theatre, while you eat’ experience. KFC South Africa has repurposed its buckets into light and sound displays thanks to the use of some smartphone technology.

What’s ON: AIPIA China Summit

Once again AIPIA is returning to the ProPak China exhibition in Shanghai to organize a summit on the latest developments in Active & Intelligent Packaging (A&IP). Specifically aimed at the Asian market, but with a global perspective, the association has lined up 6 top line speakers for the event, which takes place on 13th July in the exhibition.

Travelling Free Thanks to Smart Bottle

Lucozade, one of the UK’s biggest selling energy drinks, now part of the Lucozade Ribena Suntory stable, partnered with Transport for London, which operates London Underground, to offer a free ride to commuters through a ‘smart’ bottle of the Brand’s Energy Orange drink.

Total Control and Transparency from QR based System for Dairy

SIG Combibloc a leading makers of aseptic carton packaging systems for food and beverages has partnered with Languiru, of Brazil, to launch an innovative digital solution to ensure total transparency of quality and food safety, as well as control of the production process in the industry and personalized digital marketing, it says.

An Apple Day Puts NFC in World Play!

News broke at the 2017 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference where the company announced its expansion on NFC. The iOS 11 system, which is set to arrive in Q3 of 2017 will have features allowing the iPhone to read any NFC tag. The software update is dedicated for iPhone 7 and 7 Plus (and presumably future models as well). Finally! The immediate reaction from many quarters of the tag world, which has been waiting for this moment for several years, was a very positive and enthusiastic.

European Parliament proposes to cut European food waste in half by 2030

Environment MEPs recently put forward a number of possible measures to cut the EU 88 million tonnes per year food waste in half by 2030. MEPs called on the European Commission to lift existing restrictions on food donations and stressed a solution is needed for the confusion created for many consumers by the “best before” and “use by” labelling.

Building Customer Relationships is Key to Brand Success

Over a fifth of consumers have boycotted a brand following a scandal or negative press, according to a new study from YouGov. Inside the Mindset of a Brand Boycotter explores the nature of consumers that stop using a brand and how vital it is to placate their anger following adverse headlines. It shows that of those who stopped using a brand, almost three quarters still do not.

Counterfeit Cosmetics Haul is 70 Tons!

Nearly 70 tons of fake cosmetics have been seized by Cambodian authorities in the biggest haul of its kind in the country. The seized items, potentially worth millions of dollars, include skin-whitening cream, shampoo, conditioners, hair spray and hair colouring treatments, imitating brands including Sunsilk, Pantene, Head & Shoulders and Schwarzkopf. There were also products copying Thai, Japanese, Vietnamese and German brands.

RFID Systems will Drive Innovation in e-commerce Packaging

The retail industry is in the middle of a digital transformation, according to a study sponsored by packaging company Jabil. Due to the growth of e-commerce, smart devices, digital wallets and an increasingly tech-savvy customer base, the retail experience is undergoing what seems like a permanent change.

Fake Food and Drink Seizures Hit New High but e-commerce Fraud Down

In an operation involving 61 countries more than 26 million litres of fake alcohol has been seized by INTERPOL – Europol. Operation Opson, the sixth one to take place, grabbed 9,800 tonnes of food from 50,000 retail outlets including shops, markets and airports. The value of the items is estimated at around $230 million.

New Thinfilm & Pragmatic Facilities to Ramp Up Mass Production of PE

Two important new production facilities will shortly come on stream that will significantly alter the landscape for mass production of Printed Electronics. In separate announcements both PragmatIC Printing and Thifilm Electronics announced major new investments enabling mass market rollout.

High-tech Nano Sticker can Offer Magical Possibilities

Open Monitor is a high-tech sticker, already being used in the lottery sector, which extends the advertising effectiveness of promotion campaigns through a time delayed release of information (e.g. win-codes, advertising messages etc), say the developers.

Connected Bottle Adds Sparkle to Danone Waters

MYPACK team has confirmed that Danone Waters has chosen the MYPACK® mobile-centric IoT solution for connected packaging with a scope of activation for up to 20 countries where Danone Waters currently operates. Part of the worldwide food company, it offers a well known range of waters and low-sugar drinks including the top brands Evian, Volvic and Badoit.

New Alliance for Global Serialization and Traceability

AIPIA members SGS, a leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company, and Kezzler, prominent in serialization and tracking and tracing business services, have announced a strategic alliance agreement to jointly market a global serialization and tracking and tracing services solution.

You Heard it on the Snack Pack - not the Grapevine

Popular snack brand Doritos and Marvel Studios are getting together for the rollout of the Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2 soundtrack. The centerpiece of the companies’ Rock Out Loud campaign is a custom-designed, limited-edition series of Doritos bags featuring a built-in cassette tape deck-inspired player that plays the full soundtrack. The bags can also be recharged for repeat listening...

Are you too busy to innovate?

Innovation can be defined simply as a "new idea, device or method". However, innovation is often also viewed as the application of better solutions that meet new requirements, unarticulated needs, or existing market needs.This is accomplished through more-effective products, processes, services, technologies, or business models that are readily available to markets, governments and society. The term "innovation" can be defined as something original and more effective and, as a consequence, new, that "breaks into" the market or society. It is related to, but not the same as, invention. Innovation is often manifested via the engineering process... (wikipedia)

Hot New Can for Cool Beer!

Carrying on the tradition of introducing exciting pack developments using Active & Intelligent Packaging – particularly thermochromic inks - Coors Light has introduced the ‘world’s first’ beer cans with sun activated ink technology – currently only available to the Canadian market...

Partnership Enables Security Marker Printed Direct on to Packs

AR Packaging, based in Lund Sweden, has developed a process it is calling FUTECO, to print copy resistant and random security markers combined with inline variable QR codes directly onto the packaging. It is forming a new partnership with Cypheme, based in Paris, France to develop the commercial potential of the technology...

Pharma Protection and Communication Platform Scoops Award

The SMART Packaging System delivered by Talkin‘ Things® and MCC Label has been given an award for The Best Innovation in Patient Safety at the Pharmapack exhibition held in Paris recently. The solution provides a complex protection and communication platform for patient and medicine...

Award Winning Temperature Tracker and Datalogger

Identiv’s next-generation uTrust Sense Temperature Tracker solution has won Best New Product in the 11th Annual RFID Journal Awards during the RFID Journal LIVE! event earlier this month. The end-to-end solution includes a low-cost, secure, portable smart sensor label that tracks and stores temperature readings...

New RFID Tag Aimed at Cosmetics Applications

Checkpoint Systems has announced the availability of its Windlight RFID label for cosmetics categories and other merchandise-visibility applications. The new label features Impinj's Monza R6-P RAIN RFID tag chip, which is designed for serializing apparel, electronics, cosmetics, pharmaceuticals and jewelry...

USA SmartLabel™ Initiative Gaining Momentum

The new SmartLabel™ digital transparency initiative is growing rapidly, with more companies and brands using the digital platform to give consumers access to more information than could ever fit on a package label, according to one of the initiative’s promoters, the USA Grocery Manufacturers Association (GMA)...

AR and Digital Printing Combine to Create News Bottle

A case study which appeared in a book entitled Digital Print - A Bigger Spectrum (2016), according to PKN in Australia, illustrates the power of customized digitally printed packaging combined with Augmented Reality (AR) to create a very special water bottle for the Japanese market. The Mainichi water brand created a News Bottle targeting young people who have stopped engaging with printed news media...

New Nano Technology Enables Cheap Printed Transistors

AMBER, the Science Foundation Ireland-funded materials science research centre based in Trinity College Dublin, have fabricated printed transistors consisting entirely of 2-dimensional nano-materials for the first time. The research findings have been published in the journal Science...

Condition Changing Colour Packs Debut at interpack

New technology for indicating the condition of products through a colour change on the pack, developed by Brazilian conglomerate Braskem, the biggest producer of thermoplastic resins in the Americas, in partnership with Clemson University in the USA and Brazil’s Rio Grande do Sul Federal University, will be presented during interpack 2017...

Cannabis Packaging Gets Active AND Smart

Sugarmade Inc, based in California, has announced the completion of an agreement allowing it to introduce a new set of intelligent and active packaging systems for cannabis transport and storage. These products will allow cultivators and retailers to preserve THC levels, protect trichomes and save terpenes, while helping to mitigate pathogen levels, all of which are critical to the marketing and enjoyment of high-quality cannabis flowers...

The Milky Way: New Protein Based Active Bioplastic

France based company Lactips has developed thermoplastic pellets based on milk protein, which show an incredible variety of technological properties such as water solubility, edibility and biodegradability according to the company CEO Marie-Helene Gramatikoff...

New Liner for Rigid IBCs Offers Better Barrier Properties

MAUSER Group, a German based company specializing in industrial packaging, has developed skINliner™, a new barrier technology for IBCs which combines the advanced barrier performance of multilayer plastic film technology with the logistical and lifecycle benefits of rigid packaging, it claims...

New Generation Tamper Evident NFC Closure for Wines and Spirits

GCL Technologies the technological research centre of Guala Closures Group, in partnership with NXP Semiconductors, has announced, after one year of intensive research and development, they are able to present the industry’s first fully integrated and mass scalable NFC tamper evident closure solution dedicated to the wine and spirits industry...

Major US Retail Group Rolls Out Avery’s RFID Tags

AIPIA member Avery Dennison has announced a global Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) partnership agreement with major USA retail group Target. It is part of that company’s deployment of RFID technology to more than 1,600 stores to help maximize inventory availability and deliver an enhanced consumer experience. According to the companies this deployment is the largest of its kind to date...

Wine and Pouch Applications for Oxygen Barrier Solution

AIPIA Member ALBIS PLASTIC will showcase its active packaging solution for bag-in-box (BIB) wine, at this year’s interpack trade fair. “SHELFPLUS® O² oxygen scavenger has made the jump from thermoforming to flexible films,” says Roland Schultz, director marketing packaging. "The PE-based masterbatch is used in a laminable PE sealing film and helps improve product quality and shelf life. In many markets it makes it much easier to replace metallized films.”

Tread Label Track Tyres Better

Netherlands-based technology company Ferm RFID Solutions is releasing an upgraded version of an adhesive tread label for tyre producers. It serves as a universal ultrahigh-frequency (UHF) RFID tag with a read range of approximately 8m (26ft) that can be read in bulk, even in environments such as stacked tyres on metal racks...

Google Patent Points Way to new VR Packs

A recently published Google’s patent application describes an ‘Integrated mobile device packaging and virtual reality headset’. The concept is to provide a ‘relatively low cost’ VR headset solution by shipping the smartphone in packaging that doubles as a VR viewer, according to a recent article in Road to VR...

Celebrating St Patrick’s Day – the Jameson way

St. Patrick’s Day is a very special occasion for the Irish. For 2017, Jameson, one of the top Irish whiskey brands owned by Pernod Ricard, celebrated by commissioning local artist Steve McCarthy to create a piece of original label art for its Limited Edition Bottle. But this year Jameson took this creativity a step further by introducing the brand’s first ‘connected’ bottle...