Self-sorting chocolates just one future packaging trend

In an article written exclusively for FoodProductionDaily.com, marketing manager Nikki Clark said other developments could include food labels that shift to face consumers no matter where products are on shelf.

Clark said the self-sorting chocolates would use external sensors that matched the contents. “The idea is that the consumer would touch the sensor corresponding to the object of their sweet tooth’s desires and the contents would self-sort.​

Electro-responsive polymers​

“The chocolates would then magically arrange themselves with the selected treats appearing at the top upon removal of the lid. This works by using electro-responsive polymers to line the tin and cover the sweets.”​

The self-regulating ketchup bottle could prevent consumers from squirting too much sauce on to their food, she said. “The bottle is likely to feature three sensors, each delivering a different sized splurge of sauce on to the food.​

“Sensors in the cap will let the bottle know whether it is hovering over your plate or your trousers, helping put a stop to sauce spillages forever.”​

Orientation sensors​

Speaking about labels for on-shelf products that could always orientate themselves towards consumers, Clark said: “Most of us are familiar with orientation sensors – the kind that know when your tablet or phone is turned upside down and flips the screen around.​

“Soon, clever new labeling will know when a product is facing the wrong way on the shelf – and automatically rearrange itself so that the information is facing outwards.”​

Benson Group also forecast the possible emergence of fruit sensors that indicated how close fresh produce was to going mouldy, and packaging that allowed consumers to express their opinion of products.

The use of so-called electrophoretic ‘paper ink’ for labels, such as that used for Kindle e-books, could also become more prevalent in the future, said the company.