RAJA’s New Packaging Barometer

A year after the first barometer, we thought we would again analyse the packaging trend, starting as usual, from our business.

A sector, that of packaging, which is fundamental in supporting the constant growth of e-commerce!

This infographic contains all the main evidence gathered by comparing data at the end of August 2021 with the same period in 2020:

Packaging in Italy

Northern Italy retains its leading position with 73% of orders and, after having recorded a decrease in orders of 5 percentage points (69% vs. 74%) last year, returns to growth with +23%!

There was also a good response from the Centre, South and Islands, which grew by 21% and 20% respectively.

A Focus on Regions

Leading the growth in the North is Lombardy, in first place with 47% of total orders 2021 and a growth of 42% compared to 2020. Emilia-Romagna follows with 16% of total orders, and the bronze medal goes to Veneto, which is growing by 30%! In the Centre the first position is occupied by Lazio with 40% of total orders, in second place we find Tuscany with a growth of 24% followed by Marche in third place. Finally, the South and Islands with Campania in first place, Apulia in second and Sicily in third all growing, even by 28% for Sicily.

Packaging Best Sellers

But let’s turn now to the products, which were the packaging best sellers for our customers?

During 2021 we noted a higher growth of products typically linked to the e-commerce world, confirming the global trend of increasing online sales.

First place confirmed again in 2021 for boxes, postal packaging and envelopes with a substantial +28% compared to last year. Remember that sales of this important product family weigh 63% of the total.

Second place for adhesive tapes, which grew by an impressive 50% with a 7% share of total sales.

In third place, with a share of 6%, we find the category of bags and packaging with a growth of 30%.

This ranking has changed compared to 2020, when in second place we found plastic bags with pressure closures, we recorded an increased use of bags for masks and single-use products and in third place filling and shipping material.

The growth of e-commerce

The trend in demand for packaging reflects the e-commerce situation.

On a national level, according to the B2c eCommerce Observatory – Netcomm of the Politecnico di Milano, the value of online purchases by Italian consumers in 2020 for Food&Grocery products exceeded 2.7 billion euros, up 70% compared to the previous year. Not only that, they estimated that Food & Grocery will be the driving sector for e-commerce in 2021 (+38%).

Our analysis showed that the habits born, out of necessity, in 2020 have been consolidated. Several farms continue to sell products online on their e-commerce and both bars and small restaurants are increasingly turning to home delivery services.

Another sector that has carved out a large slice of both the market and orders is that of Beauty, not only cosmetics but also supplements and everything related to personal care and well-being. Again according to Netcomm, Beauty will be the third leading sector in 2021 with +20%.

Focus e-commerce customers

As we have just said, e-commerce is growing steadily, but the real breakthrough came last year, when we recorded a 36% increase in e-commerce customers, which translated into +49% in sales and €2 million in value compared to 2019.

This year, new e-commerce customers are only 1% more than in 2020, yet sales have increased by almost €1 million! These figures confirm the good health of the sector.

Focus on green packaging

The numbers speak for themselves, consumers are more careful about their choices and are increasingly oriented towards sustainability. Our figures confirm this, more and more customers are turning to us for an environmentally friendly packaging alternative. In just one year, sales of paper adhesive tape increased by 78%, sales of biodegradable flo-pak by 83% and sales of recycled stretch film by 160%.

Remember, choosing the right packaging for your products can make all the difference in the success of a business, and for e-commerce it is a real asset!

How about you? Have you observed any interesting changes in your business or industry? Let us know in the comments!