A plastic that biodegrades sounds, on the face of it, a lot like a panacea to mounting plastic pollution. Brands and manufacturers get to keep using a robust, affordable and stable material, which can be harmlessly disposed of and decomposes naturally, while the likes of PET persists for up to 1,000 years.

And undoubtedly some have bought into this idea. Although biodegradable plastic currently only makes up around 1% of all plastics produced annually, the European biodegradable plastics market is expected to reach a volume of 2.6 million tonnes by 2023, up from 2.1 million last year, an increase of just under 24%.

In an article for The Grocer our Structural Creative Director Tim Llewellyn discussed the difficulties that biodegradable options still pose today. The term ‘biodegradable’ on a pack often misleads consumers into believing that it will naturally decay over time, the same way a piece of fruit or veg might. But this isn’t the case. The select conditions needed for the material to decay mean the timeframe is massive. On average it takes three to six months for such plastic to degrade, but even at this stage, it isn’t the end of the process.

Read more about the realities of biodegradable plastics in the full article here: The Grocer

In line with the prevalence of everyday technology use, Active and Intelligent packaging (A&IP) is increasingly utilised by brands to achieve various results. From brand protection to brand promotion and many advantages throughout the supply chain, smart packaging is delivering very real benefits, far from novelty technology for the sake of it.

In an article for Packaging News, our Innovation & Design Director Dan Bowyer discusses the renewed focus on smart packaging, particularly when it comes to sustainable solutions and smart technology that can really add value to the consumer.

It’s fair to say there’s an increasing demand for connected packs in most sectors. Connected packaging has been around for many years and in many guises: from the consumer focused augmented reality which allows a brand to support their storytelling by bringing the packaging to life, through to manufacturer orientated connected technology that allows the brand to track and trace their product during production and distribution.

What we’re also seeing is a corresponding focus on quality over quantity as consumers show aversion to gimmicky tech over something that adds value.

Read the full article here: Packaging News