While reusable packaging is a well-known term, such is not the case for reusable security packaging – the terms “reusability” and “security” remain mutually exclusive. To date, the security packaging industry has had to contend with recyclable packaging demands. Recycling suffers from multiple blind spots making targets harder and harder to achieve.
Firstly, recycling has its own carbon footprint. Security packaging that is claimed to be recyclable or biodegradable still has either hot-melt adhesive/tapes or quite often an additional carbon footprint of protective liners or fillers. There are limited examples of ordinary reusable packaging in Europe wherein the experience suggests that the customer-return rate without any deposit hovers around 75%. But these are not representative of a cross-geography mass use-case for last-mile delivery of ecommerce/courier wherein security packaging is a must.
Now there is good news emerging – reusability and security no longer remain mutually exclusive. Traditionally the tamper-evidence is based on visually evident destruction and that precisely means a security packaging has to be single-use packaging. Non-destructive tamper-evidence enables a reusable security packaging solution. Once tamper-evident packaging becomes non-destructive, it needs an automated digital way to detect tampering. That means such kind of tamper-evidence must be made automated and trackable via smartphone-scan.
Packaging fraud remains an unsolved issue. Tradition tamper-evident packaging is firstly not duplication-evidence and secondly, even for tamper-evidence, there are multiple known ways wherein adhesive-sealing can be easily opened and resealed without any visual evidence. Opening and resealing without visual evidence are possible despite the best level of hot-melt, thermo-chromic strip, solvent/heat resistant adhesives. Because of reusability the one-time cost no longer remains a concern and packaging can be well equipped with protective liners meaning safe and careful transit.
The return of reusable packaging may be a consideration but that gets addressed easily in local closed-loop supply chains. For example, an e-commerce company using reusable from local fulfillment centers or delivery hubs to doorstep is a perfect example of a closed-loop supply chain or a customer deposit model. Similarly secured hyper-local delivery/high-value asset transit/ automated lockers are other examples wherein return can be directly from point-of-drop wherein package integrity is verified. Such reusable security packaging brings down the packaging cost per delivery almost to nil and delivers security without adhesive/tapes/single-use plastic. LInksmart is filling in the technology void and pioneering the non-destructive, automated, and trackable tamper-evidence.
For more information, contact Ashish Anand.