STI Group showcases smart packaging at Drupa

At drupa 2024, STI Group’s folding box experts will be sharing their smart packaging solutions that integrate digital product information – including virtual reality, augmented reality and the Digital Product Passport – as part of ‘Touchpoint Packaging’.

Touchpoint Packaging in Hall 3 | B 31 will bring together experts from across the value chain, from designers to brand manufacturers. The joint stand, coordinated by epda (European Brand & Packaging Association), will showcase forward-looking solutions in areas such as connected packaging, the circular economy and legislation.

Code with added value

As part of the European Green Deal, starting from 2030 the Digital Product Passport (DPP) will gradually become mandatory for certain product categories. Electrical appliances will be one of the first affected, followed by textiles, toys and cosmetics. The DPP is intended to help promote the circular economy, because it will include environmental data. When consumers scan the code on the packaging, they can access details such as manufacturer and origin; product ingredients, materials and properties; recyclability and environmental impact.

If a dynamic code is used on the packaging then the underlying data is not only easy to update, it is also customisable to the user’s location, language, time and any other relevant parameters. Dynamic codes may be multifunctional, for example they can combine a DPP with GS1 Digital Link, so that logistics data can be accessed by the retail supply chain.

Almost any information that is currently printed directly onto packaging could be stored and personalised using a dynamic multipurpose code from info.link. Consumers can scan the link without needing a special app, and the digital information that they access can be kept up to date at all times. Having to redesign and reprint packaging every time a product or legislation is updated – which can also mean discarding outdated packaging stock – will become a thing of the past.

Future-ready packaging

STI Group’s focus at drupa is on how to develop sustainable packaging in line with evolving legislation and digital concepts. Between 28 May and 7 June 2024, the folding box specialists will be sharing their innovative best-practice solutions and delivering exciting presentations on the Touchpoint Packaging stage.