On our radar: market trends in 2022

Since 2020, experts agree that the economic landscape has been quite unique for the majority of sectors, and the effects of the pandemic continue to be felt!

To guide you through this fog, we have identified various trends that will influence packaging in 2022, most of which were already in action last year. Learn more about the four major phenomena that will affect the market this year.

The shortAGE OF LABOR (AND AUTOMATION!) 

Present for a few years now, the lack of manpower has been exacerbated by the pandemic, which has affected the labor market: absences, early retirements and reorientation of careers are some of its consequences. With fewer employees, companies may find it more difficult to operate.

This shortage of personnel also affects transport, with, for example, the announcement of compulsory vaccination in January for truckers coming from the United States – otherwise they will be refused passage at the Canada-US border. On the maritime transport side, containers for goods are quite rare, and those that are available are often rather expensive.

For these reasons, several delivery delays, shortages, or supply delays could still be felt this year. Comes to show that if one of the links in the supply chain encounters problems, the whole system is destabilized!

In this context, automation remains one of the most effective solutions to overcome this shortage among companies. By investing in partially or fully automatic equipment, they can reduce the personnel needed to run their operations properly and thus regain or even improve their performance. For partial or complete automation of the production line, several short or long term options can be considered.

INFLATION AND GENERAL PRICE INCREASES

Real estate, food, fuel, packaging products… significant price increases marked the Canadian and international markets in 2021 – and the trend seems set to continue in 2022.

Several factors explain these changes: rising cost of components and raw materials, lack of manpower, jump in the price of transportation, etc. Companies then must juggle their rising expenses and the desire to keep their products or services affordable.

For example, from next February 1, an increase of 8% on the price of cardboard corners and 15% for that of polypropylene tapes is to be expected. With these changes, it is all the more important to have an adequate packaging solution to ensure that costs are optimized!

ECO-RESPONSiBILITY, A MUST!

For several years, this has been a key issue for both individuals and organizations. In one of our articles on eco-responsibility, we pointed out that 77% of consumers believe that the packaging of a product reflects the values of the company, and 74% of them are ready to pay more for a product. whose packaging is environmentally friendly. These numbers speak for themselves!

In addition, over time, consumers will be more critical of the level of eco-responsibility of the products purchased – whether for their packaging or for the greenhouse gases (GHG) emitted during their transport.

Fortunately, making greener choices is always possible. Our optimization laboratory is a major asset in finding the ideal packaging recipe to protect your products by using only the necessary materials and more eco-friendly components.

E-commerce

In recent years, the consumption habits of the population have changed, and the health crisis has only accelerated the already rising popularity of online commerce.

The ease and accessibility offered by web platforms is very appealing. This is why companies win by adapting, organizing themselves properly and finding the best tactics – like automation! – in order to meet the growing demand of their customers. This applies to all organisations, whether they operate in distribution or whether their customers are individuals or other businesses.

to succeed, trust the experts!

Although these four trends pose many challenges, several solutions adapted to your needs can be implemented.

Whether it is to offset the effects of inflation and staff shortages or to take advantage of the opportunities offered by e-commerce and eco-responsibility, our experts have more than one trick up their sleeve.

Tell them about your challenges!