This year AIPIA is delighted to announce that the world’s number one supplier of herbs, spices and seasonings McCormick & Company will present the famous Brand Challenge at this year’s World Congress in the Steinberger Airport Hotel, Amsterdam, taking place on 23/24 June...
Waitrose is to track its single-use plastic packaging from stores to recycling centres to better understand how much of it ends up in landfill. In partnership with AIPIA member Polytag, packaging will be marked with “invisible UV tags” which are detected and read when it arrives on a conveyor belt at one of 12 Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs) in the UK...
Zebra Technologies Corporation an AIPIA member experts in digitising and automating frontline workflows and fellow member Merck KGaA, a leading science and technology company, today announced a new collaboration aimed at co-creating solutions to address challenges around product verification, authenticity, and trust. Through this collaboration, M-Trust™ will be the first cyber-physical trust platform with a mobile computer scanning solution for addressing the growing issues of product safety, traceability and counterfeiting, the companies say...
What the partners describe as a groundbreaking development sees ThermoCarrier, specialists in high-performance passive cooling transport boxes, and an exciting new AIPIA member, Cold Chain Control, pioneer smart temperature monitoring for individual high-value items. Together, the companies say they are setting a new benchmark for precision, compliance and sustainability in cold chain logistics...
Major European packaging manufacturer Coveris has extended its built-in, covert security solutions offer to now include printed cartons, tackling rising rates of theft in the fresh meat, beverage and luxury goods sectors, it says. Targeting high levels of retail theft in the UK – currently costing multiples around £1.8 billion a year – Coveris has introduced its new innovative SourceTag cartons...
The next AIPIA & AWA World Congress, taking place at the Steigenberger Airport Hotel, near Schiphol in Amsterdam on 23 & 24 June is already attracting leading companies from the Active & Intelligent Packaging sector as both sponsors and speakers. In addition it will be the launching pad of a number of initiatives, helping to raise the profile and importance of the Smart Packaging industry as key components of Brand and Retailer strategies for sustainability, marketing and supply chain efficiency...
Capri Sun, a Kraft Heinz company, has launched Moon Punch – the brand’s first glow-in-the-dark pouch - ahead of the Total Lunar Eclipse. For the first time, Capri Sun is turning the moon itself into a scannable code through Snapchat, inviting fans to take part of the lunar phenomenon for a chance to unlock an exclusive first taste of Moon Punch...
For more than a decade the agenda for packaging innovation has been dominated by the sustainable agenda. The familiar themes of reducing plastics use, paperization, biodegradability, recyclability and, latterly, reuse, have been played out across numerous stages around the world, involving Retailers, Brands, Packaging Material Makers, NGOs and, not least, Governments...
Schreiner MediPharm, which develops and manufactures functional labels for the healthcare industry, presented its latest product developments at Pharmapack 2025 in Paris earlier this year. The innovative light protection labels for syringes offers effective protection for light-sensitive active ingredients (APIs) such as biologics and biosimilars. The product solutions combine light protection, safety and functionality and can be used for a wide range of prefilled syringes, it claims...
Infor Nexus™, a global supply chain platform provider, used the major Retail event, the NRF Big Show in New York City in January, to launch NexTrace, an innovative solution designed to improve customer transparency and provide a competitive advantage, it says. It provides end-to-end transparency by seamlessly tracking raw materials through to finished products and beyond, ensuring full traceability throughout the entire supply chain journey...
IBM Research is developing new AI technology that can help organizations address materials and chemicals of concern challenges, such as around PFAS “forever chemicals”.
Researchers from Chalmers University of Technology have come up with a novel approach to packaging canned tuna infused in the water-based solution of amino acid cysteine. It was shown to remove up to 35% of the accumulated mercury in canned tuna, significantly reducing human exposure to mercury via food, the report claims...
In late 2023 Berry Global introduced a range of reusable plastic cups aimed at the Food Service and Catering sectors. The latest iteration, launched in early 2025 has a notable option with the availability of embedded RFID chips or unique QR codes, which make the cups easy to track, manage, and reuse...
A recent survey conducted by Appetite Creative in collaboration with AIPIA, Polytag and Digimarc has revealed a significant surge in industry confidence regarding connected packaging, with 88.8% of respondents acknowledging its growing importance...
Identiv, an AIPIA member and a major sponsor of the World Congress in 2025, a leading provider of RFID and BLE-enabled Internet of Things (IoT) solutions, and the Axia Institute at Michigan State University, are joining forces to present a webinar on March 12, hosted by industry alliance AIM...
VALSER, a leading premium water brand from Switzerland, has launched an innovative AI-powered Augmented Reality campaign in collaboration with Zappar’s in-house creative studio, Studio Z, and Scantrust – both longstanding AIPIA members...
Antares Vision Group, a longstanding AIPIA member has extended its DIAMIND ecosystem of integrated and modular solutions with the addition of the Diamind Connect platform, which manages traceable data and production processes to guarantee end-to-end sustainability, comprehensive traceability and seamless customer engagement for brand owners in a variety of industries, it says. These include the food, beverage, cosmetics, textile and chemical sectors, with bespoke approaches for each segment...
Holographic labels have been around for a long time and are often overlooked as a first line of defence against counterfeiting. Of course, these days, there are highly sophisticated holographics and often they are used in alignment with other smart security technologies such as NFC and QR codes. However as a cost effective and easy to apply initial security measure they continue to be a highly successful anti-counterfeit measure – as three recent stories sent to AIPIA remind us...
At a ceremony in New York in early February, the PAC Global Awards 2025 recognised the very best in packaging innovation. Zappar and its partners walked away with three major wins due to their use of its Zapvision technology and Accessible QR codes (AQR). The company says these awards are a testament to the transformative power of AQRs and what happens when brands take bold steps towards inclusive packaging design.
The WarmMark QR is a single-use, battery-free temperature sensor that can revolutionize cold chain monitoring, say the makers SpotSee. Enabled by smartphones, it detects temperature excursions, providing essential data like time, date, location, and serial number. This information is uploaded to the SpotSee Cloud, delivering actionable insights to improve shipping quality and efficiency...
A new automated system, Feedentity, promises to redefine the concept of traceability and monitoring in the agri-food supply chain, according to its creators, Italy based FEED SRL. In addition to logistical traceability, Feedentity allows the monitoring of environmental parameters such as temperature, relative humidity, and vibrations experienced during transport. "These data are crucial to guarantee product quality throughout the supply chain and to meet the needs of producers, processors, and end consumers," explains Fabrizio Ferraiuolo, CTO of FEED SRL...
AIPIA, in conjunction with its partners AWA Alexander Watson Associates, as well as other organisations has confirmed its plans for events in the coming year. Chief among these is a new, earlier, date for the World Congress, which will take place once more in Amsterdam, on 23 and 24 June at the Steigenberger Hotel, close to the airport at Schiphol and well connected to the city...
During the recent NRF Retail Show in New York City, Phenix Label, a well-established supplier of tags, labels and flexible packaging, from Kansas USA, announced it has doubled production capacity of RFID-enabled packaging for hard-to-tag retail items. With this increased capacity, the company is enabling its clients to ramp up production volume, including packaging for water-based food items that have not been previously tracked using radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology. The company is working with AIPIA member Avery Dennison to make the new label range...
AIPIA has reported on several Return/Reuse systems for coffee cups and other food service containers. While many of these had wider ambitions on a regional or even national scale (which did not work) the trend in recent times is for ‘Closed Loop’ systems rolled out in a more localised environment such as a city or at a major venue...
Markem-Imaje, a leading supplier of end-to-end supply chain solutions and industrial marking and coding systems, has enabled Lunelli Group a major Italian wine brand , to adapti to the latest stringent EU regulations on wine labelling. Markem-Imaje owns longstanding AIPIA member Systech International...
AIPIA member Digimarc is primarily known for its digital watermarking. However, the company’s Illuminate platform is not limited to digital watermarks. In fact the company says it is a pioneer and leading provider of GS1 Digital Link QR codes. From co-chairing the Digital Link standard, to leading the industry’s first commercial deployments of GS1 Digital Links with global brands like Ralph Lauren, Patagonia, Puma, AstraZeneca, Reckitt, and Unilever., it is at the forefront of this project, it claims...
Christmas would not be the same if some spirit Brand did not take advantage of Smart Packaging technologies to get people into the holiday mood! In the past we have seen major Brands both big and small enhance their Yuletide offerings with Smart Packaging features...
One of the most exciting presentations at this year’s AIPIA & AWA Smart Packaging Congress was a panel featuring Matt Bolton, director of global clinical supply technology innovation from Merck, and Pieter Piron, manufacturing science and technology engineer for Johnson & Johnson Innovative Medicine, who unveiled a collaborative effort to modernize the pharmaceutical sector using digital display labels. This technology, though not new, is being repurposed to address the unique challenges faced in clinical trials, offering a glimpse into a more efficient and adaptable future...
Avery Dennison, a prominent AIPIA member with global expertise in materials science and digital identification solutions, has announced the launch of Optica, which, it says is its first full-service portfolio of end-to-end supply chain solutions, which will start by addressing a series of traceability challenges within the apparel industry...
TrusTrace, a global SaaS company with a platform for product traceability and supply chain compliance , has announced that TWINSET, a high-end Italian fashion brand, has selected the company’s platform to help identify suppliers, support eco-design initiatives, and measure each product’s environmental impact...
Picadeli which operates an expanding premium salad bar chain has turned to Digimarc to solve the issue of fraud at self-checkouts. The company, based in Sweden, but with hundreds of outlets across Finland, France, Germany, Belgium, Luxembourg and the USA has pioneered concept of fast food in a healthy salad format. The problem is with fraud occurring at the self-checkouts when customers enter a lower priced item on the product look -up (PLU) screen...
AIPIA member Adrich has announced a collaboration with Molex to ‘revolutionize smart label manufacturing’ and has launched a new trial of its smart label solutions. The company, which offers consumer insights and a smart replenishment platform powered by AI and IoT was a Brand Challenger at the recent AIPIA Congress. Molex is a global electronics company and connectivity innovator. Together the companies are aiming to greatly enhance the mass production of Adrich's patented smart labels using cutting-edge printed electronics...
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...
Evian the bottled water brand owned by Danone has partners with musician Pharrell Williams on limited-edition glass bottle, available in the UK, that responds to purchaser's location and the weather conditions and time of day, when a QR code on the bottle label is scanned. It links to a 'connected experience focused on wellbeing' designed by creative agency SharpEnd...
AlmaScience a longstanding AIPIA member and sponsor at the recent Congress, has launched PaperWeight AI, an innovative spin-off specializing in advanced technology for the retail sector. PaperWeight AI leverages paper sensor technology in a smart shelf solution, to transform traditional retail operations and offer real-time data analysis for better inventory management, waste reduction, theft detection, and increased operational efficiency, it claims...
Metsä Board, a leading European producer of premium fresh fibre paperboards, has launched a new solution to enhance and simplify the recycling process for packaging materials its customers receive as part of Metsä Board product deliveries. This could be regarded as an early move to anticipate the requirements which might fall upon the packaging sector as part of a future DPP (Digital Product Passport) scheme, AIPIA believes...
With just two weeks to go before the AIPIA/AWA Smart Packaging World Congress opens its doors in Amsterdam the finishing touches to the program have been made. As usual the agenda ranges across every aspect of the Smart Packaging landscape with Panels comprised of Brand Owners, Retail Representatives and Technology Providers looking at strategic issues, matched with deeper dives into some of the latest innovations and developments...
Tracking, inventory management, compliance and now avoidance of opiod abuse are all critical areas of attention in the pharmaceutical sector. The long delayed US DSCSA regulations are also due to take full effect for manufacturer-level trading partners from November 2024...
From being one of the ‘bêtes noire’ of the sustainable packaging lobby, Smart Packaging is now increasingly regarded as a potential saviour of the messy landscape NGOs, environmentalists and politicians have created for achieving a truly Circular Economy. For example accurate identification of the materials used and monitoring of wear and tear throughout their life cycle are crucial aspects in predicting when a product will reach the end of its functionality...
Whether it’s a case of shrimps or a tray of freshly harvested zucchini the application of an IoT Pixel from Wiliot- which they describe as a battery-free, postage stamp sized, smart tag that can sense and communicate securely over Bluetooth - empowers the whole process, right through to the final consumer, according to. Steve Statler Chief Marketing Officer at Wiliot...
Aptar CSP Technologies a long time AIPIA member, part of AptarGroup and a leader in active material science, has announced that its N-Sorb nitrosamine mitigation solution has been accepted into the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA) Emerging Technology Program (ETP), which helps promote the adoption of innovative approaches to pharmaceutical product design and manufacturing...
To help motivate consumers to achieve their wellness goals, protein bar brand RXBAR, a brand of Kellanova, launched the No B.S. Motivator experience, which combined the power of augmented reality (AR) with its packaging. The immersive experience turned the packaging into pocket-sized motivators with the help of multi-marathon runner Matt James...
Wiliot, a prominent member of AIPIA and an ambient Internet of Things (IoT) pioneer, has recently announced the launch of WiliBot, a generative AI (GenAI) chatbot that enables natural-language conversations with any ambient IoT-connected product. When the power of generative AI is combined with this enormous source of real-time ambient physical world data, companies – and eventually consumers – can have important conversations with the products they make, source, distribute, and ultimately purchase, says the company. Steve Statler, chief marketing officer for Wiliot will be speaking and is a panelist at the AIPIA World congress in November...
One of the key themes of this year’s AIPIA World Congress is Smart Packaging for Sustainability, and it is clearly one of the major development and innovation routes for Smart Packaging developers. So it is both encouraging and timely that one of our major packaging companies is taking the recycling issue for smart components to the next level with a research project on the issue. Read on! ...
Securikett, a longstanding member of AIPIA, has unveiled cutting-edge security labels designed specifically for online shipping, offering immediate detection of any tampering or unauthorized removal., The company, a specialist in anti-counterfeiting solutions, says the innovative security label featuring a cut indicator. This advanced system ensures that any attempt to tamper with the label is permanently visible, offering superior protection against unauthorized openings of shipping packages, it says. The product made its debut at FachPack at the end of September...
As Autumn/Fall arrives, the attention of most Smart Packagers and those who are stakeholders in the technology - wherever in the value chain they may be - turns to Amsterdam and the AIPIA World Congress. It is the most important meeting of the year, on 18 and 19 November, at the new venue of the Novotel Rai in Amsterdam...
Registrar Corp, headquartered in the USA, which claims to be the world’s largest FDA compliance company - with over 32,000 clients in 190 countries - has launched adverse event management (AEM) software in response to FDA’s Modernization of Cosmetics Regulation Act (MoCRA) according to a recent report in Packaging Digest...
SmartNanotubes Technologies, a recent AIPIA member, is a German start-up which has developed the world's first highly energy-efficient, multi-channel gas detector chip “Smell iX16” for the mass market, it says. The company uses its technology in networked IoT systems and smart home devices...
Pernod Ricard, the global wine and spirits producer, has announced the launch of its digital labels across all Strategic International Brands in Singapore. This marks the inaugural rollout of the Group’s digital label initiative in Southeast Asia (SEA), it says, answering consumer needs for accessible product information about responsible drinking...
Ketel One Family Made Vodka, part of the Diageo family of Brands, has announced it will place an accessible QR code (AQR) on its bottles in the USA. The AQR is powerd by AIPIA member Zappar. This addition, available on a range of recently launched ready-to-serve cocktails, allows easier identification of products and access to product information for consumers who are blind or have low vision. As the first spirit brand to enable this capability, Ketel One is leading by example to help create a more inclusive environment for consumers nationwide, it says. In other news Nestlé is also rolling out AQRs on two of its major confectionery brands...
Fresh Inset a Polish-based food technology company has introduced its food-preserving Vidre+ Complex to the USA market. The formula, intended for use in fresh produce packaging, is infused with 1-MCP (1-methylcyclopropene), which is said to extend the shelf life and quality of fruits and vegetables when applied to packaging, films and stickers. The original trial carried out on blueberries in the EU was reported in the AIPIA Newsletter last August where details about the product are explained in some detail...
In an ongoing effort to support the Philippines’ retail industry growth and innovation, GS1 Philippines, is helping to advance barcode awareness and revolutionize product authenticity and visibility through its GS1 Activate and Global Migration to 2D seminars. It recently conducted a series of these events with the Chamber of Cosmetics Industry of the Philippines (CCIP). GS1 Philippines is part of the global network which is in the process of rolling out GS1 Digital Link through the Sunrise 27 program...
Allbirds, and Carrucci global footwear brands based in USA, but with on-line and retail outlets globally, have both recently adopted RFID technology to improve inventory management and help them launch omni-channel sales platforms...
Avery Dennison has announced the launch of AD Minidose U9XM UHF RFID high memory inlays and tags for the unique identification of small pharmaceutical and healthcare items such as syringes, vials and an array of packaging formats...
Aptar–Food Protection, part of AptarGroup, a longstanding AIPIA member offering active material science food safety solutions, has expanded its SeaWell™ active packaging system into the e-commerce category. Already utilized by major retailers across the USA, the novel active packaging solution – designed to help maintain seafood freshness, quality and aesthetics – has now been adopted for direct-to-consumer shipping of various seafood items including filets, whole fish and shellfish such as crab legs, scallops and shrimps...
A research group based at City University of Hong Kong focused on designing and synthesizing specific molecule sensors, has developed a low cost Smart Label capable of sensing the freshness of proteins such as cooked or uncooked meat and seafood using the biogenic amines generated by spoiling foods. The group developed a green testing paper, which could be put in pre-packaged food, or embedded in the wrapping film, which informs customers whether the food is spoiled or not, helping to significantly reduce food waste and food shortages, explained Giselle Chow of Zenxtag in her lecture...
Sun Solution an India based technology provider, has pioneered a distinctive approach to product authentication with its newly patented Split & Hide Solution. This involves dividing the unique identification code into two parts. One part of the ID is visible, while the remaining segment is concealed under a tamper-evident seal...
OMRON, an AIPIA member and one of the leading global companies in industrial automation, has announced a major software update for its FH Vision System and FHV7 Smart Camera. This update introduces an optional Digimarc license to its’s customers in the consumer goods industry, enhancing the machine vision series’ capabilities and enabling digital product identification with digital watermarks, it says...
Domino Printing Sciences, a prominent AIPIA member, has announced the launch of a new range of high-speed product handling and printing solutions designed to support beverage manufacturers, helping them to move away from labels on bottles for environmental and legislative reasons. Domino’s range of Bottle Closure Printing Stations has been developed to print variable data and machine-readable codes, including QR codes, onto HDPE bottle caps and closures...
Digital Link, a leading provider of barcode management solutions, has announced the launch of what it claims is a comprehensive platform designed to streamline the creation and management of connected products and digital twins for any item with GS1 2D barcodes, with digital links. The platform is approved by GS1 UK...
The global connected packaging market size was valued at US$45.12B in 2023 and is predicted to hit around US$74.30B by 2032, according to a study from Towards Packaging reported in Industry Intel recently. North America continues to dominate the sector with a 40% market share and the QR code segment remains the largest in the space, it reveals...
BOTTA EcoPackaging, an innovator in sustainable packaging solutions, recently announced the launch of iQRcode™. This intelligent QR code simplifies environmental labelling compliance across the European Union (EU) while empowering brands to strengthen consumer connections, it claims.
Two stories from creative technology studio Appetite Creative illustrate how their client, world leading food processing and packaging company Tetra Pak is leveraging smart packaging technologies to inspire and educate consumers. Both connected experiences have been developed by the studio...
AIPIA has had a long association with Industry Intelligence Inc, a leading market intelligence provider. Through its daily packaging market report it offers regular insights into some of the latest Smart Packaging developments. So we are pleased to announce on their behalf the launch of the United States edition of an all-new Legislation Monitor from the company. Available in food and beverage module, this weekly report will offer business professionals insights into legislative developments at both federal and state levels...
During the recent AIPIA conference during ProPak Asia in Bangkok, one of the speakers, Aire Global showed the power AI brings to the packaging design process. Now Diageo has taken this a step further, inviting guests who visit its Johnnie Walker Princes Street Spirit Tourism Experience, in Edinburgh, Scotland, to discover Johnnie Walker x Scott Naismith. This is a Generative AI-powered experience that allows guests to co-design a personalized bottle of Johnnie Walker Blue Label. Only available at the Edinburgh venue, the experience is set to run from August 1-31 2024, and is believed to be the first ever to combine world-class Scotch whisky, art, and AI...
The mission of UK-based start-up Pulpatronics is to provide businesses with more sustainable and affordable inventory solutions that reduce environmental impact, to help track paper-based, single-use items, for a more circular economy...
AIPIA has been very active in Asia during June and July, running seminars at both ProPak Asia and CPHI SEA. Both Informa Markets shows were staged in Bangkok. At ProPak Asia, which has now become THE major regional showcase for packing technologies across South East Asia, we partnered with many leading technology companies as well as market specialists. As part of our review we will be carrying extracts from presentation made during the events...
Müller Yogurt & Desserts has integrated NaviLens codes into its product packaging to enhance accessibility for blind and partially sighted (BPS) individuals. This initiative, claimed to be the first within the UK dairy sector, is part of the company's ongoing brand and packaging refresh. Müller will implement NaviLens' technology across all its products, starting with the Müller Light range...
During the recent CPHI South East Asia event in Bangkok AIPIA and the World Packaging Organisation (WPO) ran a three day program of lectures covering many aspects of smart and sustainable packaging aimed at the pharmaceutical sector. Thailand is investing heavily in its pharma sector with the aim of becoming a manufacturing, distribution and innovation hub for the region...
Episciences Inc, based in Idaho, USA has launched a new Track & Trace system from AIPIA member Antares Vision’s business unit ACSIS, to offer enhanced supply chain visibility while deterring grey market diversion for its range of skin care products. The company has a broad range of unique offerings, but initiating new SKUs has proven a smooth process. Its products are sold throughout the USA as well as internationally...
Coca-Cola is giving consumers the chance to win a host of football-themed prizes in a campaign to help retailers tap into the excitement surrounding this summer’s UEFA Euro 2024 football tournament. The on-pack promotion kicked off on 10th June for five weeks across its 2L, 1.25L and 500ml PET bottles, 330ml cans and 24 multipack cans and 330ml glass icon bottles of Coca-Cola Zero Sugar...
Tesco, one of the UK’s largest supermarket chains, is taking a major step toward reducing material waste by trialling the use of laser-etched labels on its extra-large avocado range. This intriguing form of ‘label’, aims to minimise the environmental impact by eliminated paper or plastic labels. It involves using high-powered lasers to remove a tiny section of the top layer of the fruit’s skin, creating a clear and lasting label. It is part of Tesco’s broader commitment to finding innovative ways to reduce plastic waste in its product packaging as well as its environmental footprint...
AIPIA member Tageos has launched the ARC Spec C2-certified EOS-360 U9 inlay for retail and logistics applications. The inlay is based on a completely new, very slim antenna design with unique compactness ( the antenna size is only 64 x 4mm) and excellent performance on cardboard, plastic and rubber, it says. The product is ideal for tagging a wide range of general merchandise such as cosmetics, DIY, sporting goods, toys and many others products, according to the company...
BL.INK, an enterprise link management company, has announced the launch of a connected packaging and personalization platform, BL.INK CXP (Consumer Xperience Platform). This solution marks a significant advance in product packaging, enabling brands to deliver personalized, data-driven consumer experiences at scale, it claims. It seamlessly integrates GS1 standards, such as Digital Link and Digital Product Passports (DPP), into its enterprise link management platform...
In response to growing demands for closed dairy dispensing systems in the foodservice industry, Liquibox, now part of AIPIA member SEE (formerly Sealed Air), has introduced the Liquibox® Universal Self-Sealing Cap. Using this innovation in closed milk bag-in-box and bag-in-tray systems represents a significant advance in milk dispensing technology, reducing food waste and providing enhanced hygiene, extended freshness, and streamlined cost efficiency compared to pour-out packaging solutions such as bottles and cartons, says the company...
The initial bid for funding under the Horizon Europe Chips Joint Undertaking, was submitted in mid-May with an initial indication of the outcome expected by July. If successful a full bid will be prepared for submission in September, for a project start date in January 2025. We talk about this with our friend Edson Perin at IoP Journal....
Merging opportunities in package design and sustainability have resulted in what Arizona AB InBev brewer Four Peaks Brewing believes is an USA beverage industry-first. As well as a portfolio-wide packaging refresh, the Anheuser Busch craft partner announced in April a partnership with CIRT Inc (Can I Recycle This?), making it the first North American beverage company to include CIRT’s digital, location-based recycling tool on its entire packaging portfolio, Anheuser Busch says...
Patches that change colour as raw meat freshness deteriorates in sealed refrigerated products is not a new concept, as several companies are now offering colour changing sensors for proteins. This includes AIPIA members, AIMPLAS and Senoptica. And Auburn University in USA has recently patented a colour changing sensor for meats, as AIPIA reported in April. The latest version has been developed by Monash University in Melbourne, Australia, where researchers are using on-pack colour indicators made from natural plant materials to show how fresh the beef is in real-time and could be used to replace traditional ‘Best Before’ dates...
Packaging that reveals hidden graphics when exposed to heat or cold has been around for more than 20 years. A pioneer application was Coors Light’s colour-changing cans. Since then several beverages and water brands, including Coca Cola has incorporated this simple but effective technology in their products. Today, that concept has been extended to an entirely different packaging format and product type...
Leading recycling technology firm and AIPIA member, Polytag, has announced UK retailer, Marks & Spencer (M&S) as a founding member of its Polytag Ecotrace Program an initiative set to optimize the tracing and recycling of single-use plastic packaging in the UK...
AIPIA member, Wiliot, the ambient Internet of Things (IoT) specialist has announced a major new food safety initiative, to create completely transparent and traceable supply chains – soon required for FSMA 204 compliance in the USA – through the adoption of its Ambient IoT technology . This is a battery-free wireless technology that can be incorporated in multiple wireless standards, such as Bluetooth, 5G Advanced, 6G, and Wi-Fi – allowing food products to be connected to the internet and the power of AI...
Collimetrix Paper Embedded Identifiers offer brand protection and monitoring of product flows, making them an excellent choice for packaging and labelling companies in the FMCG industry, says the company...
A British café operator who set out to find an alternative to single-use plastic or paper coffee cups has helped to develop a new re-use system that he claims to be the most simple and cost-effective to date. Alasdair Hood and his team originally raised £350,000 from angel investors in Essex to launch Delete Cups. The system was successfully trialled in the two pop-up cafés he ran in Braintree Village in the county. He has recently sold these to focus on the reuse project...
To support pharmaceutical companies in optimizing their supply chains, Schreiner MediPharm has developed an innovative solution: Late Stage Customization (LSC) for RFID-Labels, enabling sophisticated smart labels to be supplied on short notice with order-specific programming of the integrated RFID chip...
Continuing its successful collaboration with informa markets in the APAC region, AIPIA is returning to ProPak Asia 2024 at BITEC (12-15 June) and CPHI SE Asia at the Queen Sirikit Centre (10-12 July), both in Bangkok, with a full seminar program for these fast evolving markets for Smart Packaging technologies...
The recent on-line seminar Smart Packaging for Sustainability, organized by AIPIA with the help of its partners AWA Associates, was a huge success, attracting more than five hundred delegate registrations to listen to the presentations and panels on the topic. It involved 16 speakers and moderators, including a keynote introduction by Stefan Casey, Global Front End Innovation Packaging and Digital Transformation Senior Specialist at Nestlé...
A researcher in biomaterials, from Auburn University has been awarded a patent for a packaging solution aimed at reducing food waste. The solution is a gas-sensing coating for packaging stickers for meat products that progressively changes colour to indicate freshness level. Burak Aksoy, associate research professor in the College of Forestry, Wildlife and Environment at the University developed two novel products to help reduce waste in commercial aquaculture feed pellets and meat products intended for human consumption...
As part of AIPIA’s build up to the Smart Packaging for Sustainability Webinar on 26th April newsletters will feature some insights on this important topic from industry leaders. Here is an interesting re-use scheme with added data values from The Pallet LOOP, a ‘transformational’, net carbon zero pallet re-use scheme for the UK construction sector. It has announced that each reusable green pallet it produces and puts into the sector will be fitted with a RFID tag. The move is set to generate huge amounts of data about the movement of pallets and associated building materials nationwide as they pass through the supply chain, it says...
AIPIA member Polytag, which has played a leading role in DRS trials with UK retailers including the Co-op and Ocado, has joined forces with not-for-profit company the DDRS Alliance, whose members include Circularity Solutions, Recycl3r, ACE UK, Tetra Pak and Valpak, to plan a digital deposit scheme trial in London using technology from Polytag, Both organizations use GS1 Digital Link QR codes...
Here is a round-up of some of the latest QR/GS1 DL use cases from across the globe...
As part of AIPIA’s build up to the Smart Packaging for Sustainability Webinar on 26th April the next two newsletters will feature some insights on this important topic from industry leaders. Here is an interesting re-use and tracking scheme from Konvoy a leading global IoT Internet of Things (IoT) keg tracking & pooling solution. Founded in Australia 2019, and the UK in 2022, Konvoy are disrupting the beverage industry with edge asset tracking technology and simplifying the pay-per-fill pooled keg rental business model, it believes...
As part of AIPIA’s build up to the Smart Packaging for Sustainability Webinar on 26th April the next two newsletters will feature some insights on this important topic from industry leaders. We welcome Pim van Loosbroek from The RFID Company, based in The Netherlands who explains about the development of his company’s biodegradable RFID tag...
Systech, a part of Markem-Imaje and Dover and a longstanding AIPIA member, which provides digital identification and traceability software solutions, has released a comprehensive and versatile rework offering for managing exceptions in the pharmaceutical supply chain. Built on Systech’s extensive expertise with rework across the stack, it delivers capabilities from the line through the supply chain to help manufacturers, CMOs, CPOs and distributors minimize data misalignment, product delays and associated risks in the pharmaceutical sector, it says...
AIPIA member Kezzler, which provides supply chain data management solutions, and Migros, the largest Swiss retailer, have announced what is claimed as a groundbreaking partnership to launch a new Supply Chain Data Marketplace (SCDM) powered by the latest EPCIS 2.0 technology...
Digimarc, the longstanding AIPIA member, which pioneers digital watermarking technologies, has announced Digimarc Engage, a product for direct-to-consumer digital communication, which has the potential to transform the way businesses, brands, and consumers interact through new and highly advanced consumer engagement capabilities, it says. It is the industry’s first consumer engagement offering to deliver contextual and differentiated experiences across both physical items and digital media, According to the company. With GS1 Digital Link at its core, the platform adds dynamic intelligence on top of this critical industry standard to create a direct communication channel between companies and consumers...
In an unusual step for AIPIA we are publishing extracts from a recent Q&A Lindy Hughson, editor of PKN Packaging News and the current International Packaging Press Organisation (IPPO) president undertook with immediate past president of the World Packaging Organisation, Pierre Pienaar. He completed his two-term tenure in November 2023 and we publish this as a tribute to his contribution to the wider development of Smart Packaging. Before he left office he and his successor Luciana Pellegrino were instrumental in signing an MoU with AIPIA, recognising the importance the role Smart Packaging will play in the future development of the industry. This interview reveals his commitment to education and connecting with people and organisations, plus a generosity of spirit that has benefitted both the WPO and the wider packaging world....
The SignaKey code which is smaller than Data Matrix, allows you to track sterile injectable drugs — at the unit level — from container manufacturing through the supply chain, according to the developers. In addition the code could enable zero false rejects during visual inspection, a major improvement in aseptic manufacturing efficiency, it is claimed...
Aptar CSP Technologies and ProAmpac, both AIPIA members, have collaborated to develop and launch ProActive Intelligence Moisture Protect (MP-1000). These leading material science companies say the next-generation platform combines Aptar CSP’s proprietary 3-Phase Activ-Polymer™ technology with ProAmpac’s flexible blown film expertise to deliver a patent pending moisture adsorbing flexible packaging solution. This is the first in a series of active microclimate management packaging solutions to mitigate degradation risk, maintain potency and improve product performance, they say...
Authentication and consumer engagement solutions creator and longstanding AIPIA member YPB Group has launched an innovative new module, ConnectQR, to exploit the burgeoning QR code generation and management market globally, it says. It is a brand new module of YPB’s Connect™ SaaS platform, adding self-service features. It is capable of having a dramatic impact on YPB’s business, with the potential to scale both revenue and profit at speed, the company expects. Its introduction was accompanied by the launch on January 31st 2024 of a new website www.connectqr.ai .,,
As AIPIA is about to head off to Australia to participate in APPEX, the country’s largest processing and packaging event, an Australian craft beer producer, Bridge Road Brewers, has reinforced the interest there in smart packaging, by harnessing its power to produce a connected experience. Partnering with consumer engagement platform Cellr, an AIPIA member, it has been able to achieve a Top 5 ranking in the GABS Hottest 100 Craft Beer Poll, which this year featured 436 of Australia’s craft breweries with 1877 different beers, attracting tens of thousands of votes...
