Disruptive Technologies to Impact Consumer Packaging
RFID technology usage has increased significantly in recent times, especially in the form of silicon chip devices with small batteries. However, the future of RFID will require chipless devices (i.e., printed electronics) without batteries. Barriers still remain for RFID, particularly the multiplicity of available formats and the problems with UHF interference.
The study goes on to add that low-permeability (barrier) materials are now being developed and commercialized, with new polymers also having been developed mainly for their barrier properties or heat resistance. Additives to plastic packaging have also been introduced to prevent UV attacks, provide antistatic properties, improve biodegradability, and increase electrical or thermal conductivity. Pira predicts that engineered polymers (blends, additives, laminates, etc.) stand a good chance of being commercialized in the future.
Several new polymers based on renewable (non-petrochemical) feedstock have also been recently developed. These may stabilise the price of packaging, given that they are unaffected by oil price movements. The most commercially successful polymer which is both biodegradable and based on renewable feedstock is polylactic acid (PLA). Pira points out that packaging materials produced from blends containing starch or cellulose materials are now being produced commercially.