Changing Aust demograph affects packaging demand

Australia’s ageing population is driving demand for lightweight, easy-to-open packaging with clear labelling. A new report from Canadean predicts that the Australian packaging market will grow at a CAGR of 2.21% up to 2017.

Smaller household sizes and the increasing number of single-person households are creating further demand for smaller and single-serve packs, while our increasingly busy lifestyles have led to the growing popularity of easy-to-prepare and ready-to-eat food products.

Noting the change in demand, a number of Australian packaging manufacturers have made changes such as incorporating new lightweight materials:

• Coca-Cola has repackaged its Mount Franklin water in a new PET bottle that is 35% lighter than its previous version.
• Plastic packaging firm Brickwood has developed the Infini - a lightweight milk bottle that is reportedly 22% lighter than other available rigid plastic packaging options for milk.
• Cadbury redesigned the packaging for its block chocolates to incorporate 100% recyclable paper. The pack is re-closable and also acts as a tray for sharing, appealing to consumers’ desire for convenience.

Market share of major packaging materials (% in value) 2012.

This information is based on findings from the Canadean report ‘Latest Trends and Key Issues in the Australian Retail Packaging Market’.