Summary
The COVID-19 crisis has resulted in an uptick of demand for e-commerce solutions. Both essential and non-essential items that were once purchased in physical retail outlets are increasingly ordered online due to lockdown and social distancing measures. This resulted in an increase of demand for paper packaging, including boxes, wrap, and envelopes. With the e-commerce industry set to continue growing, demand for such products is expected to rise with it.
Environmental and sustainability concerns surrounding excessive plastic usage have also led to an increase in demand for alternative paper products, such as paper straws, plates, and food-grade containers. This is expected to continue in the coming years as consumers expect higher levels of sustainability and organizations make it a higher priority.
As with many industries, technology is set to disrupt the paper packaging industry as more companies are enhancing their products with smartphone scanning and augmented reality. One prominent example is the prominence of interactive packaging that uses QR codes leading users to high-quality video content that can be projected back onto the packaging itself.
