Aging Population Will Create New Challenges for Packaging Industry

Research and Markets, Dublin Ireland, has added a new report titled Packaging for an Aging Population to its current offering. The report assesses the implications of our aging society on packaging design and demonstrates ways in which manufacturers can address these challenges. Market forces are identified, recent examples of senior-friendly packaging are examined, and technological advances that will influence the next generation of packaging design are discussed.

According to the report, from 2010 to 2050, in developed regions, those aged 65 and over will swell from 16% to 26% of the population, while those aged 80 or more will rise from 4% to 9%. In absolute numbers, that means that the population aged 65-plus will grow from 197 million to 337 million, while the population aged 80-plus will grow from 53 million to 122 million.

While the opportunities and demand for senior-friendly packaging are clear, manufacturers must remember that such features cannot be the only selling point, the report emphasizes. Products must be designed with seniors in mind, but they should not carry such an explicit message; no-one wants to think of themselves as elderly.

While all manufacturers should be incorporating universal design principles into their packaging design briefs, this is especially critical for the priority product categories, such as prescription and OTC medications, functional foods, and heavy or spill-prone household products, the report notes.

More information is available online.

TAPPI
http://www.tappi.org/