Background: The basic function of food packaging is to hold and protect the food inside.
New opportunities lie in innovative advanced packaging technologies that can extend
shelf life, increase food safety, inform and perform intelligent functions. Intelligent
packaging is increasingly implemented, and both challenges and opportunities arise from
the CONSUMER END OF THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN.
Objective: The aim of this research is to find out how intelligent packaging concepts for
the CONSUMER END OF THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN can be developed by using a CONSUMER ORIENTED
APPROACH.
Methods: An understanding of the consumers’ perspective is created by analysing
consumer behaviour in a supermarket and their thoughts on intelligent packaging; by
creating URBAN SONGLINES and conducting a FOCUS GROUP. The results will be used to develop
new concepts by combining several design methods, that increase creative thinking and
innovation development, into a concept development process.
Results: The results show that DUTCH CONSUMERS aged 25-30 are interested in intelligent
packaging if it is something that benefits them in their lives. They are interested in
intelligent packaging that can increase convenience and inform them about the food the
packaging holds. The price of intelligent packaging should not be too high, additionally,
there should be no added packaging waste. The concept development phase showed that
new intelligent packaging concepts can be developed by using a CONSUMER ORIENTED
APPROACH and a combination of design methods can be used.
Conclusion: As a result, three intelligent packaging concepts have been developed that
can be implemented in the CONSUMER END OF THE FOOD SUPPLY CHAIN. The functions of these
systems add convenience and inform the users about the food inside.