Connected packaging: Challenges and opportunities in raising consumer awareness

Connective packaging is transforming consumers’ interactions with products by offering personalized, real-time experiences through gamification and direct communication channels.

Packaging Insights speaks to Appetite Creative, Polytag, and Markem-Imaje about the challenges and opportunities of leveraging connected packaging to communicate with consumers, collect data, and boost material efficiency.

“Connected packaging aligns perfectly with growing sustainability imperatives,” says Jenny Stanley, managing director at Appetite Creative. “Close to 52% of brands cite support for sustainability and recycling initiatives as a primary driver for implementation. These solutions educate consumers about proper disposal methods and communicate brands’ environmental commitments effectively.”

Alice Rackley, CEO at Polytag, points to data collection as another key advantage. “Connected packaging solutions allow brands to gather valuable insights into consumer behavior and preferences, which then help shape product development, refine marketing strategies, and enhance customer experiences.”

“The continuous flow of real-time data also ensures that operations remain agile and relevant, preventing functions from becoming outdated.”

Stephen Gryczka, director of Strategy and Corporate Development at Markem-Imaje, notes that such data can enable more product sales and drive efficiencies across the supply chain from brand to retailer. “Increased product data can unlock new value for brands and retailers by improving consumer experiences.”

Consumers want to engage 

Polytag’s Rackley says the increased level and quality of consumer engagement are the biggest opportunities in connected packaging. 

Alice Rackley, CEO at Polytag.“Consumers want to engage and interact with brands and it’s now a key part of marketing strategies. By creating more direct and comprehensive communication channels than ever before, connected packaging creates a sense of loyalty and enables a more personalized experience,” she shares.

“This is exactly what is needed to attract modern-day consumers — engagement and brand affinity. Whether through interactive content, product authenticity verification, or sustainability messaging, connected packaging strengthens customer relationships in meaningful ways, driving long-term loyalty and positive brand perception.”

Appetite Creative’s Stanley argues that for brands targeting younger demographics, connected packaging’s gamification elements offer appeal. 

Pointing to proprietary research, she says: “Half of respondents identify this feature as valuable for engaging with younger audiences who expect interactive digital experiences from the brands they support. Traditional games, quizzes, and augmented reality have emerged as the most effective engagement methods.”

Recently, Appetite Creative partnered with Alpro to launch a QR code linking to an immersive web app designed to educate young consumers on the benefits of its new Alpro Kids range.

Rackley says that connected packaging presents an opportunity for sustainability education. 

“While sustainability is widely discussed, we do recognize that it can be a complex space with somewhat of a ‘green knowledge gap.’ By embedding digital touchpoints in packaging, brands can educate consumers on proper recycling practices, environmental impact, and sustainable disposal methods.”

GS1 Digital Link barcodes

Markem-Imaje’s Gryczka argues that increased data storage capacity and URL linking capability of the GS1 Digital Link barcodes present new opportunities for brands and retailers to embed more product and production data in a barcode.

We discussed the upcoming global GS1 Digital Link barcode implementation and how companies can prepare with Kris Fleerackers, global account manager at Markem-Imaje, at Empack 2025.

Stephen Gryczka, director of Strategy and Corporate Development at Markem-Imaje.Gryczka explains that GS1 Digital Link barcodes support automated scan and commerce at the point of sale as well as enable a new set of value-add applications. 

These include:

• Digital consumer engagement to boost loyalty, conversion, and direct communication with consumers
• Improved inventory management for retailers through automated product lot and expiration date control, reducing waste, and increasing conversion
• Enhanced product transparency with product traceability, provenance, and diversion tracking through enterprise product data and identification within the barcode
• Faster product recall management and communication through automated lot number control
• Additional digital product information to support recycling, product usage, support, and warranty applications.    

GS1-compliance challenges

GS1 Digital Link barcode applications can unlock new value, efficiency, and transparency to retailers, brands, and consumers, asserts Gryczka. 

However, he adds that the challenge lies in embedding live production and product data in the new Digital Link barcodes, which requires printing barcodes during the product packaging process. 

“As these barcodes store more product data, it becomes critical for brands to ensure security, scalability, and data integrity throughout the lifecycle — from GS1-compliant barcode creation and data management to inline printing, verification, and digital experience management,” he continues. 

“Everything delivered to consumers and partners regarding information when they scan the barcodes with their mobile phones should be correct, consistent, and clean.”

Addressing these considerations while transitioning from UPC and EAN-13 to Digital Link barcodes does not need to be complex, assures Gryczka. 

“Solution experts such as Markem-Imaje offer a full range of solutions and services to support brands in this process, ensuring seamless implementation throughout the entire life cycle of Digital Link barcodes and management of connected packaging.”

Connective tech adoption hurdles

Rackley says that one challenge Polytag has met regarding connective packaging is brand adoption. “Implementing connected packaging requires brands to adapt their existing processes, which can lead to growing pains.”

Jenny Stanley, managing director at Appetite Creative.“If certain technologies don’t integrate properly or aren’t compatible, they may require significant changes, adding even further complexity. Updating packaging designs, integrating new systems, and ensuring a seamless consumer experience can all demand a lot of time and investment.”

Some brands may be hesitant to make these shifts, according to Rackley, particularly if they lack the necessary infrastructure or resources. This is also why ensuring accessibility and ease of implementation are important.

“Another challenge is market saturation and choice. With an increasing number of connected packaging solutions available, brands must navigate a crowded landscape to determine which technologies align best with their sustainability goals, customer engagement strategies, and supply chain needs.”

“Selecting the right solution requires careful evaluation to ensure it delivers long-term value while integrating smoothly into existing operations.”

For Appetite Creative, internal alignment emerges as the foremost challenge, according to Stanley. She says that many brands report difficulties coordinating across departments. 

“Since connected packaging spans marketing, finance, product development, and packaging design teams, a cohesive strategy requires cross-functional collaboration and understanding.”

“Budget constraints present another significant hurdle. Digital marketing investment trends continue to fluctuate, with 75.5% of companies planning to increase their digital marketing spend in 2025, a notable shift from the 96% reported in 2024.”

According to Stanley, this adjustment suggests a maturation of the market as companies optimize their investment strategies. 

“Although our research does show that 76.7% of respondents are planning connected packaging campaigns this year, compared to 88% in 2024, indicating a more focused and strategic approach to implementation.” 

She notes that AI-powered connected packaging experiences introduce ongoing operational costs, unlike traditional static QR experiences. 

“When properly implemented, connected packaging transforms everyday products into powerful communication platforms that drive consumer engagement while delivering valuable business intelligence,” concludes Stanley.