Position Paper WG2 ActInPak Market Implementation of Active and Intelligent Packaging – Opportunities from a socio-economic perspective

Abstract

The pan-European multidisciplinary network ActInPak recently identified the key social, technological, economic, ecologic, and legislative factors that hinder the market introduction of Active and Intelligent Packaging (AIP) technologies for fibre-based packaging. As a result, this Position Paper specifically reflects on potential implementation of AIP from a socio-economic point of view, addressing aspects related to the interaction between component producers, packaging producers, packers, brand owners, retailers and consumers. This paper presents the main overarching findings that are to be most influential in successful market implementation on socio-economic level: i) gap between science and industry, ii) cooperation between the producing stakeholders within the value chain, iii) gap between industry and consumer, and iv) market drivers that affect developments. These main findings are all on a higher level, linking the detailed challenges in the socio-economic roadmap, and supporting the overall Final Roadmap produced by ActInPak to direct future activities in the field.