Packaging professionals now view shortages of packaging products and materials as the key challenge likely to be faced by the industry in the future, according to a survey of senior industry leaders at the SPC Advance 2025 event.
The poll was conducted by packaging sustainability consultancy Aura among experts from a range of U.S. and global brands and retailers. It found that three-quarters (75%) see these shortages as the primary issue for the packaging industry in the future - a rise of 15% from a similar poll that ran six months ago at SPC Impact in Seattle.
Gillian Garside-Wight, director of consulting at Aura, said: “Resource scarcity is a growing concern for the packaging sector and industry professionals are right to be worried. Access to daily essentials and critical materials like water, food, fiber and fossil-fuel derived polymers are likely to be severely constrained in years to come.
“The world could see a shift towards brands and retailers using the materials that are the most readily available, rather than those that are the most suitable for a particular product.”
The poll also found that the concern over shortages was closely followed by the need for data to monitor climate change and emissions (69%), with geopolitical trade issues (67%) coming next.