2024 packaging trends? Counter inflation!

With interest rates at an all-time high, inflation as the “new normal”, and price increases that seem to know no bounds, the purse strings are likely to be a little tighter in the New Year! With the economic situation a little bleak, and market trends more beige than pink, the time has come to cut back on spending, which isn’t necessarily bad news!

But where do you find the money? To answer this million-dollar (!!!) question, CARTIER has a few ideas for you.

Wouldn’t this be the perfect time to rethink your production unit costs? First tip: instead of shopping around for less, why not optimize better? You’ll be surprised to find that changing the way you do things can be more advantageous than aiming for low prices.

Ready to start the year with efficiency and thousands of dollars? That’s what we wish for you with packaging trends 2024!

Let’s start with the good news: according to several economists, the second quarter of 2024 should give us some hope, with inflation falling below 3%… Phew!

While we wait for the upturn, high prices will continue to be the order of the day in certain sectors. The first to be targeted? The oil industry and its derivatives. The problem? Plastic products and packaging are made from hydrocarbon-derived compounds… Otherwise, we see possible increases in the paperboard industry, but one thing is certain: we’re keeping a close eye on the market!

A sluggish economy means a sluggish demand! The good thing about a drop in demand is that it generally means less pressure on prices. Read on: the consumer price index (CPI) is currently at 4.8%, down from 8% in June! Well, it’s positive when you’re buying, not when you’re selling. Because if sales are down, so are total profits…

That’s where CARTIER comes in! We’re ready to help you get a better grasp of the environmentally and AI-driven packaging trends of 2024! Promising, reassuring and resolutely future-oriented, they’ll lift your spirits… and your budget!

Eco-responsibility is destined to become an integral part of our business practices, and there is no denying the growing pressure on companies. Making concrete decisions for the environment, including them in annual plans and meeting the high expectations of consumers: this is what is expected. Especially since the harmonization of standards by the International Sustainability Reporting Board (ISSB), which will make it much harder for companies to disguise their poor eco-responsibility performance. Yes, GHG reports and actions to reduce them will now have to be disclosed!

Don’t see this as a constraint, but rather as a motivating call to action, and in the short term, a worthwhile investment 😉.

The circular economy for an inclusive industry

Another solution for reducing greenhouse gases in the short and long term? The circular economy! And why join the movement in 2024? Because together, we can go further! Imagine: investing in a sustainable future, making eco-responsible choices and enabling your customers to do the same – that’s the key to making a real difference. At CARTIER, we’ve had this vision for a long time. One example? Our innovative Pick Pack products, pioneers in their field in Quebec! Reusable, they can be returned free of charge by mail, and reused by the company for another parcel. Not bad, eh?

PCR or how to reuse without losing efficiency

PCR: behind this acronym lies another environmental trend increasingly supported by consumers, namely Post-Consumer Recycled. Okay… And what is post-consumer recycling? It’s creating products from recycled materials, simple as that! Stretch film and polypropylene tape are perfect examples.

PCR is certainly the way of the future, but it’s also a rewarding challenge for our CARTIER laboratory. Since these materials have already been used, their technical capabilities need to be put to the test. Nevertheless, reusing the material rather than burying it in our soils is THE solution we want to advocate. That’s why we work hard to keep the performance/trend ratio profitable for you!

The 3Rs concept, an easy way to make a difference

Reduce, reuse, recycle: the magic formula for eco-responsibility!

• Reduce: it’s no secret that companies have to work hard to reduce their GHGs, and packaging is no exception. On a positive note: with the new standards (EPR, below), eco-design is more advantageous than ever!
• Reuse: in other words, bank on the circular economy and rethink packaging to avoid single uses as much as possible.
• Recycle: using recyclable materials in our packaging is fine, but what will really pay off in 2024 will be to include those from the PCR!

By keeping the 3Rs concept in mind, making decisions that combine the environment with customer satisfaction becomes a little more tangible!

What is extended producer responsibility? It’s the principle whereby companies that market products in Quebec are responsible for their end-of-life management. As a result, eco-taxes previously applied to B2C (business to customer) will be applied to B2B (business to business) companies as of 2025. And what are eco-taxes? They are taxes imposed on economic activities that are harmful to the environment, with the aim of discouraging their negative impact. In other words, lots of packaging = high bill!

B2B companies will therefore have to contribute to the end-of-life management of the packaging they produce or use, in order to support… a circular economy, we keep coming back to that!

But by investing in eco-design, they can benefit from credits and reduce their bills. Why pay a lot for something you can do something about?

Yes, the emergence of artificial intelligence is taking hold everywhere, even in the packaging sector! And many innovations are in the pipeline for the years to come. Whether in terms of production line efficiency, product-specific packaging design, cost-cutting methods or recyclability, it will help us evolve, and guide us towards better practices.

Despite the fact that we already have a good idea of where artificial intelligence can take us, its concrete contribution sometimes remains abstract. But since it’s not going to disappear anytime soon, we might as well make it our ally to gain in vitality, and design packaging that meets needs while minimizing environmental impact.

What’s more, let’s indulge in a little dreaming: perhaps it will enable us to run virtual transport simulations, or suggest a packaging recipe.

To face the challenges and embrace the opportunities year after year, you won’t find a better partner than CARTIER. Ready to take on 2024? So are we! Contact your sales representative or one of our customer service advisors today!