There may not have been many live events this year to showcase the latest trends in label and packaging, but hardware manufacturers and software developers have been busy, and the industry has been humming along. All of this under the backdrop of shifting consumer preferences and supply chain challenges. Let’s take a look.

Label and packaging procurement reached new heights during the pandemic and had some ‘“forced effect” on purchasing for many reasons.

“The crisis has prompted a surge of new activities, with an astonishing 75% of U.S. consumers trying a new shopping behavior in response to economic pressures, store closings and changing priorities,” according to a McKinsey & Company study. “This general change in behavior has also been reflected in a shattering of brand loyalties, with 36% of consumers trying a new product brand and 25% incorporating a new private-label brand. New brands, switching brands, online shopping and increased purchasing power as a result of a decline in services availability all added to the increase in label and packaging volumes.”