AIPIA Congress 2024 Wrap: Unilever Brand Challenge highlights its focus on Smart technologies | 13-12-2024 |

In a thought provoking presentation, setting the scene for the Brand Challenge which followed, Omer Bin Younos, Nutrition Global Head of Packaging and N&I Head of Packaging Capability at the Unilever Foods Innovation Centre gave some clear pointers to where Smart Packaging can and is playing a key role in the future of its product and packaging development as well as its sustainability targets.

On the theme of Smart Packaging for Consumer Relevance he outlined the companies sustainability goals: Net zero emissions by 2039; Resilient and regenerative natural and agricultural ecosystems; An end to plastics pollution through reduction, circulation and collaboration; And a decent livelihood for people in its value chain; and he demonstrated what smart packaging technologies can help the company achieve these goals.

The focus of Unilever, he explained, revolves around Product Integrity (including material transparency as well as authenticity and quality), Consumer Engagement ( offering Brand communication and product interaction), and Product lifecycle (for supply chain tracking and sorting and detection for efficient recycling or in smart retail).

He highlighted how Augmented Reality can help educate and improve consumer awareness, interact with the Brand and engage through features like gamification. Next he talked about how AI could mimic and display human cognitive skills to enable problem solving, improved knowledge and trend projections. He emphasised how Blockchain could offer end-to-end traceability, and supply chain security in an agile and cost efficient manner. 

Omer and the other members of the Unilever judging panel were presented with 13 different solutions in the Brand Challenge, from just about every perspective of Smart Packaging solutions. All the ideas were delivered in three minute ‘pitches’ which is a challenge for both presenters and judges who have to deliver and assimilate the information. There was the full gamut of ideas, from smart refilling systems, Track & Trace, anti-counterfeit and authentication  as well as sensors and connected product platforms and immersive consumer engagement products. 

In the end Unilever chose three companies to follow up: Scantrust, which offers  QR code based campaigns, anti-counterfeiting, and supply chain traceability solutions: TrackVision an AI powered SaaS platform that captures and shares supply chain traceability data using GS1 EPCIS 2.0 and Digital Link standards and now includes micro-structure fingerprinting; and Polytaksys, which has recently launched its U4Food smart label sensor with opening time supervision, dynamic Best Before Dates and automatic discounting.

The judges mentioned that all the presentations were relevant to their current studies into Connect Packaging. The chosen three most closely matched where the company was focussing currently. Going forward the links to AIPIA and its members can help Unilever to identify the most promising technologies to achieve their goals.