by Glenn Scott for Contract Manufacturing & Packaging Magazine

Reading the business tea leaves in a post-recession period is a tricky proposition for any industry,
packaging included. But as the economy sputters back to life, all signs point to at least one major theme for 2011: packaging that answers consumer demands for convenience in all of its permutations.

From packages that can be reused to designs that prolong product freshness, reduce spills, provide on-the-go capabilities, and enable easy handling for arthritic Baby Boomers, brand manufacturers are increasingly embracing solutions that relieve everyday consumer irritations - even if the fixes carry a higher price tag.

That may be the biggest surprise of the year, considering the fragility of the economic recovery, but it demonstrates an understanding that segments of the marketplace are willing to pay for benefits like avoiding spoilage that save money in the long run.

Sensory packaging is also making an appearance, along with a variety of other new technologies that either improve on older package/closure formulas or pave the way for new product development. Here are some of the trends that are shaping the market today.

1. Rigid club and bulk packages
Many club and bulk products are moving away from paper-based packaging and transitioning to rigid containers that provide convenience features such as reusability, resealability for freshness, spillage resistance, and more durability than tear-prone bags and boxes.

This transition started several years ago in other sectors. Domino's Sugar began phasing out bagged product and instead using a round plastic container with a resealable lid. Folger's Coffee made the leap from metal coffee cans that had to be unsealed with can openers to plastic containers that can be opened easily without tools.

Now we're seeing a similar movement in bigger packages for products.

2. Infusion closures for drink concentrates
In the on-the-go category, new infusion closure technology is providing an alternative to tear pouches and tear sticks used for water-soluble drink concentrates. Consumers still get the Single-serve, ready-to-use, dose-controlled, freshblended benefits of those older packages, but without the tug-and-pull opening or spillage risk.

With the infusion closure, the concentrated powder or liquid can now be packaged in a cap that fits on a standard water bottle and is sealed with a foil membrane. Screw the cap on the bottle when you're ready to drink, and a built-in mechanism punctures the foil and discharges the contents of the cap into the bottle. Shake it up, and you're ready to drink.

It's a consumer-friendlier way to provide a portable solution for beverages ranging from vitamin waters, sports drinks and newer relaxation beverages promising a better night's sleep to children's electrolyte replacement treatments.

The caps can be tucked into a purse or briefcase and retrieved when needed, enabling consumers to enjoy their preferred beverage enhancement anywhere they can find bottled water.

3. Trigger-activated aerosol sprayers
Another newer convenience technology involves triggeractivated aerosol sprayers that provide continuous spray capabilities. A user-friendly front-loaded trigger pad allows cleaners and other products to be dispensed in a continuous stream rather than in the stop-and-go manner of older
push-button aerosol dispensers.

Like rigid club and bulk packaging, these triggers cost more, but they're easier and faster to use - no repriming necessary Product uses include automotive care, air fresheners, carpet cleaners and various cleaning supplies.

4. Ergonomic adaptations for Baby Boomers
The graying of the Baby Boom generation has been driving packaging changes for several years, and that will continue into the foreseeable future as brand manufacturers respond to the need for easy-grip closures, easyread labels and other compensation for Boomers' aches, pains and mobility limitations.

We have already seen food and medication packages with finger lugs or other new cap features for easier handling. Some of these products have received the Arthritis Foundation's Ease-of-Use Commendation Logo, designed to encourage manufacturers to make seniorfriendly products and packaging. The same catalyst is also fueling a switch from glass to plastic to lighten the load for some products.

This again fits the convenience theme, but in this case it's not just a matter of being handy for consumers. It's a necessity for brands that don't want to miss sales to the 78 million Boomers who are responsible for over half of all consumer spending in the United States.

5. Flavored and scented plastics
Packaging that engages the senses is on the menu this year as well with new flavored and scented plastic technology that offers novelty as well as an opportunity for product innovation. FDA-approved flavored plastics can be used to safely add taste to everything from baby pacifiers to bottled water without adding calories. In the latter case, bottle tips can be infused with mint, raspberry, chocolate or other flavors of the manufacturer's choice for variety and personal preference. Look for the technology to spark the release of a whole new generation of diet beverages.

Scented plastics deliver aroma infusions that can make a holiday package smell like a pine tree, add a lemon scent to a toilet bowl scrubber, or camouflage the odor of a garden chemical. This can enhance the product experience, differentiate it on the shelf and overcome negatives that may discourage buyers - especially those with sensitive noses.

6. Lighter-weight plastics and glass
Other innovations that are poised to enter mainstream packaging include new plastic and glass manufacturing techniques that decrease package weight as well as providing sustainability benefits.

In the case of food and beverage glass, suppliers have

7. Trial sizes for premium products
Either as an outgrowth of the recession (on the one hand) or to encourage splurge purchases for more expensive products (on the o~her), cosmetic and personal care brand manufacturers in both the mass market and high-end arenas are turning to trial and travel size products under 3.5 ounces.

Glenn Scott is vice president of product development for Berlin Packaging (www.berlinpackaging.com). a hybrid packaging supplier that is one of North America~ largest stocking suppliers of plastic, glass and metal containers and closures as well as a provider of value-added services including package/graphic deSign, global sourcing, package equipment
financing and consulting.