2025 Packaging Trends

The packaging industry is in the process of undergoing significant change, and this is expected to continue in 2025. Many of the packaging trends that dominated 2024 will continue to drive the evolution of the industry, but they may look a little different due to the continuing shifts in consumer priorities and the technological advances driving the packaging industry.

The following discussion will provide an overview of the key trends expected to shape the industrial packaging industry in 2025. By staying on top of these trends, your business can maximize the efficiency of your packaging systems and improve your operations.

Sustainability and Ecofriendly Packaging Materials Remain a Priority

Sustainability isn’t only a trend impacting the industrial packaging industry; it’s become a point of emphasis in just about every industry. Consumers are increasingly choosing to support businesses that prioritize sustainable practices, and using ecofriendly packaging materials is an important way to demonstrate to your customers that you share their values regarding sustainability.

We’re seeing greater efforts toward reducing packaging waste and, in particular, reducing the use of plastic packaging materials. With 18 billion pounds of plastic entering the ocean every year and 40% of this plastic coming from single-use packaging, it’s easy to see why the anti-plastic movement has gained popularity in the packaging industry. Businesses that use plastic packaging are increasingly being viewed as anti-environmental and out of touch with the values of consumers.

This has led to an increased use of environmentally friendly packaging materials, including:

• Paper-based packaging materials
• Recyclable materials
• Compostable films
• Reusable materials
• Eco-friendly adhesives
• Starch-based packaging materials

We’re approaching the point in time where ecofriendly packaging materials will no longer be an emerging trend and instead be an expectation. Within the next few years, it’s likely that these materials will simply become the new standard for packaging best practices.

Increased Customization and Personalization

Modern technology has improved the ability to customize packaging for both individual consumers and audience segments. Customization and personalization in packaging is more affordable than ever, giving businesses the ability to enhance customer experience. This personalization can be as specific as using a person’s name on the packaging or more general by leveraging intricate designs that resonate with the preferences of different segments of your customer base.

This increase in personalization has been made possible by AI and machine learning technology that allow businesses to analyze customer data more efficiently to improve the customization of their packaging without breaking their budget. In fact, 66% of packaging professionals are currently implementing personalization in their packaging offering, and 89% of professionals expect this trend to increase over the next few years.

Expansion of Automation in Packaging Processes

Automation is revolutionizing packaging processes, offering significant improvements in efficiency, accuracy and productivity. We’re seeing automation being used in a variety of ways to improve the packaging industry:

• Intelligent systems and IoT integration
• Advanced robotics and collaborative robots
• Automated packaging stages

Intelligent Systems and IoT Integration

Packaging automation systems are increasingly incorporating IoT technology and AI to enhance operations. Smart devices using AI, machine learning and big data analytics are helping to track products through the packaging stage and beyond for enhanced results. In addition, pattern recognition algorithms are being used to identify and resolve problems and inefficiencies within the packaging process.

Advanced Robotics and Collaborative Robots

AI-driven robotic systems are improving the speed and precision of packaging tasks. The food and beverage sector has been leading the way in this trend, with 94% of food packaging operations currently utilizing robotics systems. This trend is expected to gather momentum over the next few years, and industry projections predict that 95% of all secondary packaging lines will leverage robotics systems within the next decade.

Automated Packaging Stages

We’re seeing automation being implemented across just about every stage of the packaging process:

• Primary packaging – Automated systems are used ensure the packaging in direct contact with the product is properly protecting the merchandise and providing consumers with all relevant information about the product.
• Secondary packaging – Automation is used to put the wrapped product into a secondary container for added protection when shipping to retailers or direct customers.
• Transit packaging – Automated systems place products in larger containers and onto pallets for transport and distribution to retailers.

Growing Adoption of Smart Packaging

The growing adoption of smart packaging technologies such as sensors, RFID and NFC is another trend to watch in 2025. Smart packaging is transforming the packaging industry in several ways, including:

• Enhanced supply chain visibility and management
• Improved product quality and safety
• Greater consumer engagement
• Enhanced data insights for businesses

Smart packaging technology enhances supply chain visibility and management by facilitating better real-time tracking and traceability. RFID and IoT-enabled sensors provide real-time updates on product location, condition and movement throughout the supply chain. This improves transparency, enables agile decision-making and ensures compliance with safety regulations.

Product quality and safety are also greatly improved when smart packaging is used. Sensors embedded in packaging can monitor a variety of items such as temperature, humidity and freshness. This helps prevent perishable products such as food or pharmaceuticals from spoiling or becoming contaminated. Smart packaging also helps industries meet stringent safety standards by ensuring proper handling conditions and enabling rapid recalls when necessary.

Smart packaging also enhances customer experience and drives better consumer engagement. NFC tags, QR codes and RFID labels allow consumers to access product information, verify authenticity and engage with promotional content via smartphones. Smart packaging also increases consumer trust by providing detailed information about sourcing, production processes and sustainability efforts.

The data generated by smart packaging technologies also fuels advanced analytics and machine learning models. This helps businesses predict demand fluctuations, optimize inventory levels and identify inefficiencies in their operations.

Ace Packaging Can Optimize Your Packaging Solutions

At Ace Packaging Solutions, we’re constantly monitoring the latest trends impacting industry to ensure our services maximize the efficiency of your packaging systems. We’ve developed an exclusive Collaborative Success Approach™ to ensure you receive the highly customized solutions your business needs.

As part of this unique approach, we conduct a Packaging Effectiveness Review™ to see what you’re currently doing, evaluate the efficiency of your existing systems and identify ways to make them better. After conducting this comprehensive review process, we’ll collaborate with your team to explore the opportunities we’ve identified to optimize the efficiency of your packaging systems. The collaborative nature of this process ensures the solutions we recommend will align with the ways your business operates and truly help make your systems more effective.

But our Collaborative Success Approach™ doesn’t stop once we implement our recommendations. We’ll constantly evaluate the effectiveness of our solutions and make adjustments over time to continue refining your processes and improve your packaging systems optimization.

Contact us today to schedule a consultation.