Sustainability is essential for the future of the packaging industry

Submitted by Serena Rebollo… on 28 October 2020

"78% of consumers maintain their environmental concerns despite the health crisis caused by COVID-19"

"IQS Executive Education and Packaging Cluster discussed the state of the sector in a virtual meeting"

The packaging industry must bet on sustainability in the new context caused by COVID-19. This is the main conclusion of the virtual conference with experts from the world of Packaging and the challenges of the sector in the current context organized by IQS Executive Education, the IQS division dedicated to the specialized training of professionals; and Packaging Cluster, an entity created in 2012 that brings together more than 100 companies, knowledge centers and entities from the sector in Catalonia.

The meeting helped to share how sustainability has affected the main companies in the sector, as well as highlighting that the environmental axis will continue to be one of the main aspects to be dealt with within companies, despite the fact that the axes social and economic will also gain importance. The packaging strategy has become very important, especially in what refers to having rigorous information to be able to transfer it to the consumer.

The latest AECOC Shopperview study shows that 78% of consumers consider sustainability an important aspect. In this sense, the concern for sustainability has gained space with the pandemic. 23% of consumers give more importance to buying brands and products that are sustainable and socially responsible, while 70% give it the same importance as before. In the same way, 82% of consumers ask for more responsibility with the environment, reducing the packaging of products, and 80% ask for more sustainable actions.

Sustainability is also an opportunity for companies. From the shopping experience in recent months, it was found that 37% of consumers want to buy a packaged product because they believe that it protects food better: “With the new normal there will be a dichotomy between package and counter, 27% will buy more fruits and packaged vegetables and not in bulk, and in meat and fish, 21% will buy more packaged products and not at the assisted sales counter”, explained Cinta Bosch, AECOC responsible for Sustainability.

Packaging training, key in the new context

The new edition of the IQS Executive Education Master in Packaging Management, in collaboration with the Packaging Cluster, was also presented at the event. The university center also has a Postgraduate Diploma in Packaging Management, as well as Postgraduates in Design and Development and in Packaging Industrialization, designed for people who already work in the sector. These courses work on essential cross-cutting areas for professionals in the sector, ranging from business organization to finance or communication skills with internal and external teams.

Montse Castillo, director of the Master in Packaging Management at IQS, highlighted the high specialization of the program, a key aspect in the new normal: “Our professors are not only teachers, but they are also professionally dedicated to each area of the program they teach. This allows us to anticipate what is to come and allows us to be more flexible and adapt to situations like the current one”, she assured.

“This training is fundamental and extremely important. It is a sector that has very good growth prospects in the coming years”, added Àlex BrossaCluster Manager of the Packaging Cluster. 

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