Print is not dead! It just changed.

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The increase of online shopping and eco-conscious consumers have led to the phrase “print is dead” popping up everywhere in articles and news feeds. In fact, at Luminar, our turnover is growing year on year, the team is growing steadily and we’ve hit a record number of orders in the past years, which has led us to relocate to our larger facility in Riverstone.

So, why are people still saying “print is dead”?

It seems to depend on what print industry you’re talking about. For example, there are differences when printing newspaper and magazines vs consumable goods labelling and packaging. Elsa Callini, from Ebeam Technologies, explains that almost two-thirds of all printed packaging now is produced for food and drink applications.

This has resulted in the rise of pouches, sachets and flexible packaging. It is the most economical and cost-effective way to package products and according to Smithers Pira, (the worldwide authority on the packaging, paper and print industry supply chains) international demand for flexible packaging is expected to reach $248 billion by 2020, making it one of the fastest growing packaging sectors.

Flexible pouches are both 23% lighter and use 60% less plastic in comparison to rigid packaging which speaks to the growing millennial market. Many Gen-Y and millennial consumers want their product labels and packaging to be produced as quickly as possible, and expect delivery within days, not weeks. For them, speed to market is extremely important. This expectation has resulted in the increase in digital printing which is faster, adds value to SME’s and marketing departments as well as producing high-resolutions results. This is the first time operators can enjoy flexible packaging in short runs.

As a packaging and printing company, the environmental impact and sustainability are always in mind. In fact, it was one of our five packaging trend predictions in 2017 and with growing pressure from customers, wholesalers and supply chains, it would be foolish for any business to ignore the need to offer sustainable or eco-friendly product options.

The combination of eco-conscious consumers along with the rise of e-commerce is not a sign that packaging is not dead, merely evolving much like the digital world.

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