What is Smart Packaging?

Forget about all those numerous definitions - active, diagnostic, intelligent, smart, communicative, functional, enhancement - to describe smart packaging. Just stick to 'smart' and figure it's all one big continuum of functionality.

There are two categories

1. A conventional package made smart by an RFID tag or label. The functionality is electronic and the major beneficiary is the supply chain.

2. A package made smart by functional attributes that add benefits to the consumers. These may be purely design elements, or else mechanical, chemical, electrical or electronically-driven functions that enhance the usability or effectiveness of the product in some way. The major beneficiary is the consumer.

By http://www.smartpackaging.co.uk/
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Smart packaging need not use new technologies or be complex to offer real customer benefits in today's crowded marketplace - considerable scope exists for using existing technologies in more imaginative ways.

By Dr Paul Butler