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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