MATT BENYON


trade shows:


THE SHOW MUST GO ON Matt Benyon, MD of easyFairs UK and Ireland, discuses the pack- aging industry from the point of view of a trade show organiser.


The last 12 months have


had many ups and downs for the packaging sector. Now that we run two major pack- aging shows a year, this means that we are constantly speaking to a number of peo- ple and companies involved in the industry. The highs have included smart new packs, innovative formats and a return to profits for many. Whilst, the lows have included a rise in material costs, industrial action and even company failures. How- ever undoubtedly, the biggest trend continues to be the issue of sustainability.


C


onsumers buy products not packaging, so clearly any reduced


spend on the high street will have a direct effect on vol- umes, positive or negative.


But with 70% of all packag- ing going to the food & bever- ages sector, the packaging industry is better positioned than most. The UK supply chain is the most aggres- sively price-driven throughout Europe, so it could be that the rising cost of raw materi- als, in the main linked to availability of supply could have a beneficial longer-term effect of making packaging margins more realistic. The government have


been very supportive though, especially of the second phase of Courtauld Commit- ment (CC2) which launched early last year. Plus with the new government reviving old battles with Labour on pack- aging issues such as sustain- ability and employment, early policy signals on training and manufacturing seem very en-


26 | 2011 | PACKAGING YEARBOOK |


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