Unwrapping Innovation in Food & Beverage Package TestingUnwrapping Innovation in Food & Beverage Package Testing

In sectors including food and beverage, navigating the complexities and challenges of package testing involves both technology and human factors. How teams are trained and managed is as important as the tools they use to implement solutions and can make or break ongoing improvements in package testing and measurement efforts.

This discussion presents key findings on those human factors as they relate to innovation in package testing and measurement. The insights and data cited below are from annual research by Industrial Physics, as detailed in the report: Innovation in Food and Beverage Packaging: Unwrapping the Testing Environment. As with a previous article published in Packaging Digest that focused on the internal environment, the results are based on a survey of 380 food and packaging professionals in the UK, USA, Germany, India, and Malaysia.

Technology and teamwork go hand in hand.

Test and measurement technology has evolved to support developments with new materials and processes. However, companies must understand the importance of selecting the right equipment and analyzing the data to protect the integrity of their packages and brand reputation as they innovate.

As technology evolves to encompass a wider spectrum of package testing solutions, do professionals understand how to utilize these tools to help meet objectives? Research indicates that involvement from multiple teams can help to drive a company forward with quicker decisions, however, it can also halt innovation altogether.

Related:Unwrapping Innovation in Managing Food & Beverage Packaging Departments

Research indicates that half of packaging professionals agree that their company’s testing process has changed positively in recent years along with a greater focus on waste reduction in the testing process; the opportunity for cost advantages; and the improvement in quality control throughout and beyond the testing process. At the same time, there is a critical need to address knowledge gaps.

Teams confront a lack of in-house expertise.

This report focuses on testing-related factors and builds on findings from 2023 research, which revealed a lack of expertise as a challenge when navigating testing standards.

In 2023’s research, professionals revealed that a lack of in-house expertise and the cost of sourcing it, were two significant challenges when it came to testing standards. Research in 2024 explored this topic in more detail to understand the impact of knowledge gaps on the level of innovation seen in food and beverage packaging.

According to the latest data, those who disagreed that their organization had the in-house expertise required for innovation were also the least likely to agree that their organization had the ability to respond to innovation opportunities.

Furthermore, although more than half of respondents said they knew where to look for the latest testing developments, almost half (49%) also said they required external support with testing expertise. Below are additional takeaways from this report:

Industrial Physics

A consistent consensus among the experts involved in multiple years of research indicates that an increasing number of packaging professionals are reaching retirement age and exiting the profession. Unfortunately, the knowledge gained from their decades of experience is becoming lost rather than being passed on. This indicates that a lack of structure and process is being applied to peer-to-peer learning in the packaging industry. In turn, this is a significant disadvantage to companies because when somebody leaves, the knowledge is simply lost.

On top of this, for professionals who are joining packaging companies now and getting to grips with testing, the expertise being provided to operate equipment and conduct tests is predominantly only on the surface level. Without a detailed understanding of what a test actually measures and what the data means for those products, professionals are missing out on the opportunities to gain more valuable insights and suggest ways to optimize.

To overcome these challenges, packaging professionals should explore training opportunities. For example, more in-depth sessions with a supplier when equipment is selected, or training organized for specific teams via third-party consultants. This should be combined with the introduction of more structured knowledge sharing to help newer entrants to the sector increase their knowledge and get the team engaged in the data to spot opportunities for improvement.

Deeper understanding of the testing methods, instruments, and data gained from such training efforts can better allow companies to optimize their operations and implement the tests that best ensure the quality and safety of their packaging.