The future of social media-minded manufacturing

For roughly half the global population, social media is an integral part of internet usage. Over 4.26 billion people worldwide were using social media in 2021, a number projected to increase to almost six billion by 2027, according to Statista data.

Online information and social exchanges are influencing personal eating habits and purchasing decisions. Viral social media recipes on platforms like TikTok and Instagram have spiked demand, in some instances causing shortages for products like Kewpie mayo and inspiring retailers to curate in-store displays promoting ingredients from trending DIY recipes.

Suzanne Higgs, expert in the psychology of eating, researches the cognitive processes and biological mechanisms that underpin people’s...

Manufacturing Supply Disruptions Could Last into 2023

Supply chain disruption could continue for more than another year, according to the newest Resilient M4.0 Supply Chain survey conducted by the NAM’s Manufacturing Leadership Council. The MLC is the digital transformation arm of the NAM.

What’s the holdup? A combination of factors is causing fundamental shifts in supply chain approaches across the industry. These include pandemic lockdowns, blocked shipping lanes, container scarcity, material and component shortages, extreme weather events, rising prices and military conflict.

What manufacturers are doing about it: Supply chain organizations are...

4 Sustainable Packaging Predictions for 2023

Happy New Year! It’s that time to think about what’s coming and why — so you can plan your actions/reactions.

You’ll note that many, if not most, of my forecasts relate both to each other and to the top sustainable packaging issues that affected last year. Makes sense, doesn’t it?

1. Reverse material substitution will continue to grow.

Cereal box liners. Paper bottles. Protective ecommerce packaging. The biggest trend that I see, and my associates at SPRING (Sustainable Packaging Research, Information, and Networking Group) confirm, is the “paperization” of...