What Is Smart Packaging?

November 29, 2021

In today's competitive market, a package is every bit as important as the product inside. Brands have begun to leverage advances in technology that give them the ability to provide an experience beyond a simple commoditized package. Smart packaging is an umbrella term used to describe a package with increased functionality through new technology. Functionality through prismiq™ smart packaging provides benefits throughout the supply chain like automation, consumer engagement, and more. There are three types of smart packaging: active, intelligent, and connected. 

Types of Smart Packaging

Active packaging refers to a package that has functions beyond simply containing and protecting a product. It interacts with the contents of the package to increase freshness or extend shelf life. It has components that are added or removed to adjust conditions like moisture, oxygen levels, odors, and flavors. Active packaging is primarily used for food and beverage products.

Intelligent packaging monitors the condition of a product, the package, or its environment during transit and storage. Printed codes or marks, electronic or chemical sensors, or microchip-based solutions (RFID & NFC) provide data about each package. Intelligent packaging typically includes an internal or external indicator that provides information such as package location, temperature changes, or if the package has been tampered with. 

Connected packaging leverages enhanced graphic design and digital printing to transform a simple package into a connected package. These enhancements encourage consumers to engage with the package by scanning a code that takes them to a curated digital experience. The embedded technology gives companies the ability to track a product, sense or measure an attribute, and communicate to users throughout the supply chain. Although connected packaging is the newest technology in the packaging sector, it’s expected to lead the smart packaging market in the coming years.

Encourages Consumer Engagement

Intelligent packaging allows companies to entertain, instruct, and inform consumers. It encourages deeper interaction with the physical product and digital brand presence. Easy access to digital instructions makes products easier to use — from delivery, preparation, dosage, to disposal — and intimately understands customer usage behaviors. It also makes user ordering, reordering, and returning easier for a more seamless customer experience.