Addressing the gathering, Prabhu discussed the contribution of packaging industry. He said, “Packaging is the very first impression that a consumer gets about a product before seeing the content of the packet. It will play a key role in creating demand for other products as well.”

Discussing the topic of waste plastic management, Chaturvedi said, “Waste plastic is not an issue as it is made out to be. It may be a waste for one product but it can be recycled and used to make another product. Multilayer packaging is one solution which can be recycled and then reused.”

Uflex is working towards the addressing the issue of waste plastic that does not get collected and ends up in landfill and ocean. Elaborating on this, Chaturvedi said, “Biodegradable plastic is going to revolutionise the packaging industry. We are in the process of giving a solution to waste plastic. Manufacturers who are using multilayer packaging will be able to use an environment-friendly plastic which is eaten by bacteria in coming in contact with soil. The leftover will be converted into biomass and fertilisers, which will further improve the productivity of soil. This will result in cleaning up the city, drainage issues and ocean being polluted with plastic.”

On the trends of global flexible packaging, Amit Ray, executive director, Uflex, said, “Packaging strikes the very first connect between the brand and consumer, which is correctly defined as the first moment of truth. Delivering a great customer experience is integral to packaging, whether it is a product on the shelf or delivered in a box. Since packaging influences customer perception, creating memorable packaging translates into making a lasting impression. A number of consumer product companies are creating personalised packaging.”

At the event, Jeevaraaj Pillai, joint-president, packaging and new product development, Uflex, presented the company’s solution to reduce plastic waste. “Flexible packaging industry has to move in a direction where multilayer packaging waste can either be  collected and recycled; collected and converted into energy; or if it gets littered, then it is bio-degradable,” he said.