Innovation activity among packaging manufacturers has tipped away from biodegradable materials in favour of technologies that allow the use of less packaging material and a reduction of overall waste. According to patent mapping research carried out by Withers & Rogers, a firm of UK intellectual property attorneys, this shift is evidenced by a recent swing in the volume of patent applications. Since 2009, the number of applications published for new biodegradable packaging solutions has fallen by 5%. However, over the same period, patent applications published for lightweight packaging solutions have increased by 19%. So what lies behind this innovation trend? In part, at least, it is likely that the swing is due to the fact that the sustainability benefits of biodegradable plastics have recently come into question. Perhaps more significantly, however, price competition in numerous markets has become increasingly fierce. Clearly, lightweighting a particular item of packaging is rarely just a case of thinning the walls or switching from materials; the whole item may need re-engineering. To read more, please visit: www.packagingnews.com
