In this packaging trend report Stora Enso identifies insights for brand owners and retailers within the fruit and vegetables category. The report confirms that sustainable fiber-based packaging can increase profit margin and reduce food waste.

Escalating food waste in the world is something that is among the top concerns when millennials are asked which social challenges are most important to solve. The report notes that as much as 45% of all fruit and vegetables produced in the world goes to waste. The fresh produce category has the highest level of waste in the grocery retail.

"One of the key success factors to reduce food waste is to develop packaging that prolongs shelf life of the products," said Björn Thunström, SVP marketing and innovation, Division Packaging Solutions, Stora Enso, Finland..

In the Viewpoint, research is presented from the University of Bologna showing that renewable fiber-based packaging can prolong the shelf life up to three days, compared with returnable plastic crates.

To have a healthy and sustainable lifestyle is a rapidly expanding desire, and something that is highly valued among today's consumers. The products in the fruit and vegetables category fits well in this life style. An obvious growing trend is that consumers’ desire significantly more premium products with high quality in this category, therefore it becomes much more important that fruits and vegetables are fresh, attractive, and tasteful.

"We will see an increased use of packaging in the fruit and vegetables category when premium becomes more important than to sell large volumes. Packaging will play an increasingly important part in achieving premiumization," said Thunström.

At Stora Enso's DesignStudios, brand owners and retailers can gain top level support to find the most optimal fiber-based packaging solutions for their products.

"Our aim with this Viewpoint is to increase the brand owners’ and retailers’ awareness on the importance of focusing on innovative and climate smart packaging for fruit and vegetables. This will lead to them increasing their profit margin, as well as contributing to reduce food waste in the world," Thunström added.

Read more of Stora Enso's Viewpoint—"The future of fresh produce packaging"