“The future of packaging is connected,” says SIG digitalization exec

06 Nov 2018 --- Where did this product come from? It is a simple question that is fuelling a new era of fully transparent and traceable products, according to SIG. Many businesses are already using traceability systems to collect data at every stage of the product journey automatically, but, this information is now being made available to consumers to meet the demand for product transparency.

Barcodes have long been the standard, cost-effective way to track-and-trace. But new and ever-more intelligent traceability systems using RFID (radio frequency identification) technology are enabling more detailed and higher quality data exchange.

“We’re living in a highly digitized and on-demand world. Technology is shifting power from brands to consumers who can access information about businesses and products more easily than ever. And as consumers become more connected, they’re becoming more discerning,” says Ayed Katrangi, Senior Product Manager Automation and Digitalization at SIG.

“Connected packaging offers the potential to create meaningful brand relationships, ensure transparency and increasingly connect products to the Internet of Things (IoT),” he adds.

Successful early adopters include companies such as McDonald’s. In 2013, it created the “Track My Macca” app in Australia, enabling consumers to scan their boxed meal and find out its origin story through entertaining Augmented Reality (AR) animation. Such instances are becoming more common. Talkin’ Things also adopted AR in its connected packaging for the label of Black Red Ale beer.

SIG, for instance, offers a whole range of traceability and interactive packaging solutions, allowing consumers to access product quality information easily, play games, watch videos, read recipes, participate in prize draws and even receive personalized communication – all through the pack itself, Katrangi notes.

Brazilian dairy producer Languiru has achieved a six percent spike in milk sales thanks to a SIG promotion pilot which allowed consumers to scan QR codes via their smartphones to unlock coupons and prizes.

Each milk carton, including chocolate milk (Chocolan), was printed with a unique QR code accessible by a SIG-developed app, enabling Languiru to reward customer loyalty and better understand the behavior of consumers. The SIG technology has proved popular, with more than 12,000 codes generated every hour.

What will come next?
“While AR- and IoT-enabled packages are yet to hit the mainstream, the industry is already anticipating what will come next. As a result, we could soon see packaging talking directly to consumers with on-pack digital chips linked to their smartphone. Or even screens on cartons themselves that offer personalized videos. The future of connected packs looks bright and full of exciting possibilities,” says Katrangi.