The printing market for packaging is growing steadily despite the remarkable shrinkage in the commercial and publishing printing industry globally. According to the Smithers Pira report (Dec. 2014), the global printing market for packaging was estimated at €370 billion in 2013, representing a 4% increase from 2012. Further, it is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 7% between 2014 and 2019. As "change" is deemed an essential feature of packages and packaging, printing changes constantly along with the dramatic changes occurring in packages and packaging. The writer is not a printing specialist but a packaging professional who has been following the world packaging industry for many years since 1980's to discern the leading indicators for the near future, defined as the next five or ten years. In short, the printing industry is deepening printing as a tool in sales promotion and information communication. Concurrently, new functions created by a fusion of printing and digital media tools, such as smartphones, enhance the value of printing, including two-way communication between product brand makers and consumers, safety and security of products, and reduction of food losses. A personalized approach in maintaining compliance is one of the most important functions of printed electronics. Every function should match the new function of packages and packaging. Flexible packaging is one of the fastest growing segments in the global packaging industry. Both gravure and flexographic printing are promising growth areas, along with the growth of flexible packaging, and digital printing not only facilitates shorter runs and quicker delivery but also provides a strategic marketing tool for individual customization or personalization of the products. Anti-counterfeit packaging is also an important and currently prominent topic. Online shopping may require distinctive approaches to packaging. Finally, the writer stresses that there is much potential for innovation in printing for packages and packaging.

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Flexible package printing will become the focus of package printing in the future. In the domestic market, some printers have tried to introduce flexo printing and gravure printing using water-based ink for flexible packaging. These printing methods can solve issues such as solvent odor, residual solvent, and emission of VOC for gravure printing. Water-based ink for flexo printing is the best solution, because the content of the solvent in water-based ink for flexo printing is less than that for gravure printing. In addition, the DLE flexo production system and the solvent free lamination system will enhance the value of flexible products, which are printed by flexo printing using water-based ink.

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Losses due to damage during transportation of strawberries are estimated at several billion yen per year. We have been studying strawberry packaging from the perspective of reducing transportation damage. All aspects of packaging were studied. Our goal in the development of cushioning for the assembly of individual packages, approached as a series spring problem, was to reduce vibration by 30%. At the cargo level application of dynamic vibration absorber theory enabled development of damping equipment which reduced vibration by 50%. With the use of CAE, I have developed film that is effective against damage by rubbing, as proven during a simulation using a pack of strawberries. This research and development effort was able to achieve results by combining expertise from the University, the Agricultural Experiment Station, and the Industrial Research Institute, as well as joint research with automobile manufacturers. Cross-cooperation between different engineering disciplines is essential for the development of new technology.

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In recent years, an increasing number of malpractice cases have been reported, more than half of which are related to drug labels or packages. To devise guidelines for the layout of PTP sheets with bar codes, we performed an experiment in which each pharmacist set various items on PTP sheets, aiming at visibility and avoiding mistakes. Based on the experimental results, we classified the letter color and sheet color of PTP sheets, and developed a suggested guideline plan. Furthermore, we performed verification experiments for representative PTP sheets based on the suggested guideline plan.

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Among packaging materials, plastics have the advantages of being thin, lightweight, robust, bendable, flexible, and are applicable to a variety of shapes. However, plastics also have several disadvantages, including those due to oxygen and water vapor barrier properties. The barrier properties of plastics are extremely important, in particular, from the viewpoint of the shelf life of packaged food products and medicines. The oxygen barrier is necessary to suppress deterioration of food due to oxidation during storage. Moreover, the water vapor barrier is necessary to prevent moisture loss. This review presents the fundamentals of gas barrier properties of plastic products for packaging applications.

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Polylactic acid (PLA), which was once praised as a savior of "mother nature" because of its biomass content and biodegradability, is now struggling because of harsh price competition against commodity plastics. Furthermore, some odd properties of PLA have made this bioplastic misunderstood as problematic. Thus, considering PLA as only a substitute for conventional plastics because of its eco-friendliness, it appears to have few advantages. In fact, the world annual production capacity of PLA is still 185 thousand tons, which is far smaller than that of other plastics. However, the odd properties of PLA could be its unique advantages. What if the unique properties of PLA can generate benefits for consumers? Actually, there are several such applications for PLA, including 3D printer filament, fracking water for shale gas, tea bags, and wallpaper. For these products, PLA was chosen because of the unique properties that are superior to those of other plastics. Meanwhile, the eco-friendliness of PLA works as an effective incentive for consumers to purchase the products. The combination of practical benefits and an eco-friendly image can make PLA more competitive in the market.

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The changing environment of food packaging is characterized by globalization, protection of the global environment, eating by oneself, and food safety. Delicious-looking food descriptions are printed on food packages to induce the consumer to pick up a product at the store, and nutritional, allergy, product liability, and recycling data are provided as legally required. Printing technology features such as high resolution and ink expressiveness make it possible to display such information, and this technology contributes to the creation of value through packaging. Considering the future of packaging printing, we expect food packaging to create real value: for example by adding security, preventing food loss, and providing a high level of visibility. In order to formalize the logistical quality of packaging, an easy-to-understand and established standard is needed. To this end, we implemented standardization by: 1. Classifying the necessary information; 2. Defining the space; and 3. Designating the size, dimension, and font to be used. Additionally, we improved the stacking efficiency at the pallet level by a reverse design procedure (outer package → number of package → inner package → individual package) and by using a quick reference chart of the pallet pattern. Taking the packaging process as a whole, the proportional cost of the printing process to the life cycle assessment is low. However, its potential function is very important and I believe that printing can create significant new value in packaging. Due to information overload and the extreme difficulty of making good judgment calls, I expect printing technology for food packaging to provide only the necessary information on demand.

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