By Mike Richmond, PTIS partner
The IPVM Mode™ is a maturity model designed specifically for packaging to show the many elements that touch packaging internally and across the value chain. As the packaging industry moves toward many new challenges and opportunities. We have updated the IPVM model we have updated the model to reflect the continued acceleration of key elements in the model, including Brand Purpose, Collaboration, Industry 4.0 and the continued growth of digital across The Market, Commercialization and R&D. We will continue to update the model as the fast pace of change continues to accelerate as a result of the many factors noted in the model, especially technology enablement. For more information, visit Integrated Packaging.
Today’s Packaging Likely Quaint To Future’s Advances
By John Maffie, Leading Futurists
Justin Lee’s Vlog, March 23, 2035: The other day, I found an old box pack of black beans, what I always call a “juice box” in the back of my Dad’s cabinet. The “best by” date was in 2020. I thought it gave a pretty good lesson on all the changes that have happened in packaging in the past 15 years
I set this little pack on Dad’s kitchen table and stared at it. It’s not much different, outwardly, from what we have today; shape, form, general type. But there are real behind-the-scenes differences.
We were not seeing much recycling or recovery of these multilayer boxes back in the early 2020s. Its layers needed specific handling, not available in a lot of curb-side systems. The ones now, of course, are different, and go into a chemical recovery flow, or right into the home digester.
This one had a little “FSC Mix Board” label on the bottom. That was about sustainable sourcing of the fiber in the pack. That logo did not tell what happened after use.
I’m glad we got away from the old “I did my bit” aspects of packaging, where a company would say we sourced sustainably and you can theoretically recycle this, so we’re all set.
Absolute carbon accounting of course asks not is something theoretically part of the circular economy, but is it, in practice, circular. There is no carbon labeling on this old pack. There’s nothing about carbon offsets, either, though that idea was starting to emerge then.
Since a lot of my staples are on a replenishment subscription basis, the pantry at my house is all digitally-logged. I wouldn’t even be allowed to forget a pack in the back of the cabinet. Dad doesn’t have autoPantry, said no way to that some time ago. Said it wasn’t anyone’s business what he had in his cabinets.
For kicks, I tried to read a Digimarc on the pack. That technology was emerging back then. But this pack only has the old UPC that takes up about half of one sidewall. So, I couldn’t have tracked the lot if there was a quality problem and neither could the maker issue a recall with alerts to all customers who’d bought it. And, of course, the stores and warehouses couldn’t automatically have the bots pull all product with certain specs.
Now, Dad thinks these 15-year-old beans are perfectly fine. I said no, and then snatched the pack and took it home with me. I’ll empty it and drop it in the digester. Or, no, that won’t work with a pack from 2020. Ah well, I’ll keep it as a relic of old times.
John Mahaffie is a co-founder and principal of Leading Futurists LLC, a consultancy that helps organizations explore change and discover new opportunities. www.leadingfuturists.biz
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