While packaging design has always been a fascinating creative discipline, its future promises to be even more exciting and complex. In today’s competitive market, companies are more aware of the importance of good packaging in determining the consumer’s value perception of a product. In the past, packaging served one purpose – to contain and protect the merchandise. Now, it’s a communication vehicle. The focus is just as much on the package as it is on the product inside it. Considering that more than half of purchases are based on emotional response[i], especially when a consumer is unsure and must choose between several brands of products, it’s not surprising that many companies that manage to master the art of design aesthetics and speak to the heart of their target audience, are on top of their game. Brand leaders such as Apple, Bang & Olufsen and IKEA demonstrate that design is what defines them and gives them their competitive edge. Below, Laura Drewe takes a look at some exciting trends in the future of packaging design. Sustainability A dynamic trend that is influential in package design acknowledges growing consumer awareness of the environment – consumers are becoming increasingly concerned about global environmental issues and are changing their buying habits accordingly. The 2012 Survey of Future Packaging Trends, conducted by Packaging World magazine and DuPont to identify trends shaping the packaging industry for the next 10 years, indicates the packaging industry believes consumers value convenience (76 per cent) and shelf appeal (58 per cent). However, when asked what were going to be the packaging attributes that were most important to consumers in the coming decade, respondents suggest that consumer priorities are drastically changing. The focus is on sustainability, specifically the perceived “greenness” of packaging materials (increasing by 23 per cent), recyclability (increasing 27 per cent) and reusability (increasing 13 per cent)[vii]. According to Tom Szaky, writing on sustainable packaging trends in March this year for Packaging Digest, over 80 per cent of consumers are mindful of the claims made by products about their sustainability. This consumer response has major implications for companies and agencies aiming to target environmentally conscious consumers across numerous industries, and further highlights the importance of corporate responsibility when it comes to being environmentally and sustainably-conscious[viii].