Innovations in B2B Parcel Packaging—Ensuring Safe and Secure Delivery

A couple of years ago, receiving a large box with just a single, small pen inside it was quite common—overpackaging was still quite common then. Nowadays, this seems quite absurd, especially since customers get angry when something like that happens. Yet, this shift didn’t occur overnight; it’s the result of packaging innovations that slowly enabled us to optimise how parcels are secured for shipment. Thus, in this article, we will look at this evolution more closely—we invite you to read on!

The Evolution of Packaging Innovations

What did the first parcel packaging look like, and how did the innovations change it? Let’s indulge ourselves in a piece of history.

At first, packaging was purely functional—its only goal was to protect the goods shipped at minimum cost. As such, the most popular packaging materials were cardboard boxes and bubble wrap since they were the most cost-effective.

After the initial phase, there came a realisation among e-commerce stores and retailers shipping B2B—packages are free advertising spaces. Thus, the first evolution that we could observe was a turn to branded e-commerce packaging—one including the seller’s logo, contact info and other marketing materials.

The next few years (namely 2011-2015) brought more focus on sustainability. Producers came up with various types of packaging materials to replace bubble wrap and cardboard boxes and provide more eco-friendly alternatives. Some of them included:

• honeycomb paper wrap,

Source: https://thepackagingclub.co.uk

• paper void-fill,

Source: https://www.ferndalesupplies.com

• reinforced paper tape.

Source: https://www.dannells.com

Naturally, technological innovations also impacted packaging design at that time, once again focusing on the marketing aspects. For instance, contact details were replaced with QR codes.

What came later (2016-2020) was a further increase in the use of new tech. Packaging no longer served parcel safety and marketing functions only—it started providing real-time tracking, temperature monitoring, and even tamper-evident features to give sellers and buyers a better insight into the supply chain. At the same time, automated packaging became a thing, streamlining the fulfilment process and making deliveries…faster.

The Current Innovations in B2B Packaging

What did these evolutions in packaging lead towards? The trends started in 2021 and have been present ever since. What are these trends? Namely, on-demand packaging.

This term refers to the packaging customised specifically for the needs of a given business. It’s focused on using only as many packaging materials as necessary, hence reducing waste and the negative impact online trade has on the environment. Naturally, this trend required specialised technology, such as custom-sized packaging machines used by our partners at Active Ants.

Such machines enable quick production of branded, tailor-made, and durable packaging—one that checks all the boxes. It’s a way to meet the high sustainability standards and the expectations of clients, who are much more aware of the importance of packaging than they have ever been. Such solutions enable companies to use packages of the exact size they need, minimising the amount of materials used to secure the products, hence reducing the costs and decreasing the negative impact on our planet.

The Future of Parcel Packaging Innovations

With the current innovations in packaging explained, there is just one question that we need to answer: what will the future bring to parcel packaging? While it’s difficult to predict the new solutions, we are certain of the direction that the industry is heading towards.

The upcoming years should bring even more innovations aimed at sustainable packaging—after all, it’s one of the industry's main goals. Further personalisation will also become important, with an increase in the number of brands finding new ways to use custom-sized packaging for marketing purposes. Who knows—we might even live to times when packaging won’t only be tailored to the seller's needs but also to the expectations and preferences of the buyer.

Undoubtedly, there are many changes coming, especially with the EU enforcing stricter regulations on packaging, so we are bound to see the evolution continue.

The Takeaway

From simple cardboard boxes and bubble wrap to sophisticated, tailor-sized, branded boxes made of sustainable materials—parcel packaging has undergone quite an evolution over the years and prompted the use of several innovations. The future awaits with even more new solutions, so be ready to adapt your business to them. After all, the type of packaging used has proven to make a significant difference for the customers, so it’s worth keeping up with all the changes.

Did you like this article? If yes, we also recommend reading: Exploring Last-Mile Delivery Innovations in Belgium