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Digital tech advances are helping consumers become more closely connected to their food, and encouraging greater levels of transparency from companies, according to Innova Market Insights.

Social media is enabling co-creation for new product development by allowing fans to be involved in flavour innovation, such as the #myoreocration Oreo campaign to let fans decide which new flavour would enter the market. Cherry Cola was the winner.

Apps are also allowing consumers to share what they eat online.

The number of 26 to 35 year olds who say they share what they eat online are 55 per cent in the US, 43 per cent in the UK and 24 per cent in China.

Smart labels and apps are also boosting consumer engagement with products and product transparency information.

Eight in ten US consumers say they are more likely to buy brands that are honest and transparent about how and where products are produced, according to Innova.

Blockchain is in turn boosting the capabilities of companies to track their products from paddock to plate and share these journeys with consumers.

Packaging News

Visy has released independently verified lifecycle analysis results indicating its fibre-based insulation product, Visycell, delivers measurable environmental benefits compared with expanded polystyrene.

As construction progresses on its $500 million glass recycling and remanufacturing facility at Yatala in Queensland, Visy is ramping up efforts to prepare the workforce that will operate the site.

Perth-based materials company Uluu is set to scale production of its seaweed-based alternative to plastic packaging after securing $2.1 million through the Australian Government’s Industry Growth Program.