**2. The packaging: importance, functions and environments**

The packaging is one of the most important parts of forming the product. Its size, shape, design, selected color, and font significantly influence the consumer decisionmaking process and thereby affect the marketability of the product itself [2]. The packaging can be understood as the tool or the set of tools protecting the product from potential damage. It allows for better handling and facilitates the sales and consumption of products [3]. The importance of packaging is growing, and the reasons are increasing logistical costs, the progress of packaging technology and increased environmental consideration [4].

Packaging performs a series of different tasks: it protects its contents from contamination and spoilage, makes it easier to transport and store goods and provides uniform measuring of contents [5]. In conventional terms, the packaging is expecting as implies of assurance, conservation, dealing with, transport and capacity of goods. These days, the other capacities of packaging, such as getting the consideration of clients and brand communication, are getting to be more recognizable. As a result, the current intrigued of the company is in this manner to offer a client a packaging that will meet the showcasing prerequisites and market wants of dealing with and transport at the same time [6–9].

Right now, packaging is a fundamental component in the market from the products point of view and ensures to protect the quality of nourishment goods. It too plays a key part by ensuring stuffed goods against outside conditions, influencing the quality and well-being security of nourishment goods and making transportation, capacity and apportioning of goods easier [10].

Although the function of packaging varies depending on its type [11], three main purposes of packaging can be found in literature: protection, convenience and communication [12]. The traditional perception of packaging classifies the main functions of packaging into four basic categories: protection, communication, convenience and containment [13]; nevertheless, these functions are not totally exclusive – for example, the communication function of the package can also help to enhance food protection and convenience. These four functions are interconnected, and all of them should be assessed and considered simultaneously in the package development process [14].

The package is applied to:


This model of four traditional functions of packed serves as the basis for many studies. However, according to the literature review of Dopico-Parada et al. [15], it does not consider certain key aspects for consumers today such as the environmental impact of packaging or how packaging meets social needs. Nor does it consider the economic function of packages or the added value of intelligent and active packaging that can upgrade security and provide information. In addition, a package ought to not as it were meet all these capacities but ought to moreover meet market criteria for costs [15].

### *The Perception of Intelligent Packaging Innovation: The Latest Process and Technological… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107461*

However, it is necessary to certify know-how on how features and properties of packages affect sustainable development in general. To satisfy the requirements of the society in connection to sustainable development, the packages ought to meet the economic and social and environmental dimensions [16–20]. Many authors define the different divisions of the packaging functions. Lindh et al. [16] proposed to establish uniform terminology of packaging functions for better understanding and communication leading to their development and decision-making processes. In the research, they divided the functions according to the environmental, social and economic dimensions. The authors Zeman [3] and Kačenák [17] divided the packaging function into six key functions: protection, guarantee and rationalization, economic, communication and ecological functions. Packaging must comply with the transport and storage and must be suitable for the store and prevent stealing; it includes promotional and informational functions. Dzurová [21] lists five functions of packaging based on Schulte (in Dzurová [21]), namely: protection, storage, transport, handling and information. For this particular research, we used the dividing by Calver [22] and Loučanová [9]: handling, protective, informative, economic, ecological and promotional and recently often mentioned social function.

According to Dopico-Parada et al. [15], packaging can be seen as an solution that protects goods from external impacts, ensuring their security and quality, protracting good life, encouraging transport, taking care of and capacity, working as a bolster for data and improving the experience. Furthermore, all these packaging characteristics should be ensured at the lowest possible cost for consumers and in a sustainable way, complying with social and environmental responsibility.

The packaging has to perform its functions in three different environments [12]: physical, human and ambient type of environment. A physical environment is one in which physical damage can be caused to the product (shocks from drops, falls, damage during transportation or storage, etc.). Also, an ambient environment surrounds the package, damage to the product can be caused by gases, water, light, temperature, as well as microorganism. The third type is the human environment, in which the package interacts with people. The package must contain the information required and communicate with people in the appropriate way. Failure in considering all these three types of the environment during the packaging development will result in poorly designed packages, increased costs, consumer complaints and even rejection of the product by consumers [14].

The packaging process generates cooperation between product and packaging with the aim of fulfilling the needs of the product end-user as well as the manufacturer and the distributor. In principle, the packaging is just a clever way of constructing a container out of a selected material or combination of materials, where a wide variety and choice are available. A range of parameters, varying from product characteristics to consumer requirements and trends, affect this selection. These parameters can be grouped into three categories [23]:


#### **2.1 Packaging innovation**

When developing innovations, it is essential to think almost the article at diverse levels while each level increments its value to the client [24]. With respect to the

development, it is fundamental to screen packaging capacities and discover out in the event that it can be utilized moreover. In the case of innovation, it is important to target it to the specific customer segment, and therewith it is in the company's interest to properly identify the target groups of the packaging innovation. Companies should monitor changes in consumers' preferences and also focus attention on new technology of packaging when selecting and introducing the packaging to the market.

Joseph Schumpeter (1931, In Zaušková and Loučanová [24]), has the classic approach to the classification of innovation; at first, he considered them as any positive alter within the generation living being. Cogliandro [25] is one of the essential authors of the concept of shrewdly advancement, who in his research does not consider innovation as a strategy or rapidly obtained wealthy program for the buyer, but as an original issue solving, intuitive sense for the market and the pursuit of success. Innovation attempts to provide and explain information about the status and concurrently they are able to manage it.

Luo Zongwei [26] characterized intelligent innovation within the field of pharmaceuticals as cleverly computational strategies, which are these days elite and essential for the generation and optimization of products (objects, goods). Modern and innovative computing instruments are reliably created and connected to develop modern goods elements and their components. The term intelligent innovation is not so regular in Slovakia; however, innovation is display in many research studies. Loučanová et al. [26–28] based on the elementary definitions of innovation characterize intelligent innovation as 'any autonomic alter with a positive effect to the customer'. They grow the comfort of the buyers and concurrently represent a more conservative, compelling and safe solutions.

According to Robertson [14], there are several drivers for packaging innovation: one is the fast-changing social trends and increasing consumers' demand for convenience and safety. The other is growing environmental awareness, while profitability and differentiation are also important for food companies seeking to attract consumer attention. Because consumers want innovation and value novelty, the packaging industry must continue to innovate or risk stagnation.

The food packaging industry is largely driven by market drivers to satisfy the needs of society and the economy. The most needed packaging innovations are those that can lead to practical solutions to fulfil socio-economic needs. The majority of those socio-economic needs are, according to Yam and Lee [29], consumer lifestyle, value, profits, food safety, food packaging regulations and environmental concern. Consumers' lifestyle recently is influenced by the aging of the population, an increasing number of smaller families or single-person households, and as a result, consumers are increasingly demanding food products that are convenient, taste good, are safe and nutritious.

In principle, the trends affecting packaging development and use can be divided into four main areas – business dynamics, distribution trends, trends in consumption and legislation [23]. These four areas tend to be also the main drivers of packaging innovation. The development in business dynamics is particularly related to fundamental changes in the packaging functions and extended perception of functions. The distribution and retail chains are continuing to internationalize and are constantly developing new consumer product logistics, processes and trends. This not only has an effect on the functional packaging requirements, it also affects the way in which products are presented. Different markets mean different perceptions, different consumption habits and different cultural and social values. And last but not least, over the last 5–10 years, environmental legislation has become one of the major drivers for innovation in packaging [23].

*The Perception of Intelligent Packaging Innovation: The Latest Process and Technological… DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.107461*

#### **2.2 Active and intelligent packaging**

The result of creativity is innovation in packaging. It is an alternative approach outside the typical context of thinking [13]. The effect of this method is the construction of communicating features of packaging. Essentially, the market provides two different possibilities of innovative packaging systems: active and intelligent packaging. They emphasize to increase new and standard features to meet present buyer requests, enlarged requests of regulatory and security. Intelligent and active packaging can be described as [30]:


Active packaging is characterized as change in the awareness to the functions. The key features can be considered as the security, which has been moved from passive to active. A passive fence between the goods and atmosphere is considered as the oldstyle understanding of the package protection function. Active packaging lets changes the condition of the goods [13]. It function is to spread shelf life and improve goods safety, while keeping the quality [31]. According to the above-mentioned definitions of active packaging, they could be grouped according to the approach in which they affect the quality of the goods like this: emitters – active systems according to the release of materials and absorbers according to absorption [32].

Intelligent packaging is an approach which has the ability to carry out features (for example, recording, communicating, tracing, detecting) to simplify decision-making to give information, extend shelf life, increase quality and safety and warn about possible complications [13]. Kačeňák [31] considers intelligent packaging as a system for observing circumstances around the goods and delivering data about the quality of goods during logistic operation such as storage and transport. He included among these features namely: indicators of oxygen and carbon dioxide, time–temperature indicators, pathogen and color temperature indicators and indicators after warranty [32].

Following the literature review, the significance of intelligent and active packaging mainly represents the development of the two main features: 'information' which provides all data monitoring from the conditions of goods and protective function – particularly in shift from passive to active protection of goods. The demand of buyers to the packaging innovation focuses on: the majority of costumers expect that the packaging will be environmentally friendly with sufficient available information on the packed and protection functions. Our results approve the practicality of an active and intelligent packaging system in terms of essential functions and consequently innovation in packaging technologies, thus responding to the present conditions on market.

### **2.3 Customers' perception**

Innovation management and innovation penetration cannot exist without examining consumer preferences and attitudes, because new product acceptance is

ultimately an important factor in success. This approach can help clarify, predict or influence adaptation or refusal of innovation as regards [33]:


Firms must analyze the development of consumers' tastes to choose the marketing and packaging strategy. From the other point of view, they also have to pay attention to the new technologies of the competition. Last century, design have changed about every 15 years; but nowadays, it is much often due to the market environment. There is significant relationship between firms and the environment due to packages strategy [34–39]. Therefore, it is not only important to create packaging, but also there is a responsibility for how it can be re-used, i.e. recycling.

Buyers' attitude towards the goods packaging has developed, whereas, according to previous studies, the packaging is defined as a crucial part of the goods. On the other side, contemporary studies point to that it is an attractive part of the goods. Though, the first impression of the package for buyers does not continue if the packaging is not sufficiently functional and user-friendly. It must be for customers simple from the utilization point of view and must offer appropriate information [40]. Many consumer behavior studies investigate the perception of packaging by consumers – product rating influences the purchasing intentions and attitudes of consumers [41–43]. Brennan and Crandison [44] described common utilized active packaging materials in the Australia, Japan and USA, but much less in European countries. On the other side, some technologies utilizing intelligent packaging materials are more common in Europe. The differences are due to difference cultural peceptions and lack of accepting of benefits. Similar results aimed on above mention topic were concluded by Zhang et al. [45]. They analyzed the topic focused on innovations in packaging design. A reference system for the design of a goods packaging framework that can be connected to e-operations was analyzed by Regattieri et al. [46]. They described the e-commerce solutions for innovative packaging mathematical model.

Limited knowledge about the importance of packaging in the supply chain and for the end consumer represents an important challenge for the packaging industry. For instance, few product manufacturers appear to understand the important communicative role of packaging [47]. As a result of this knowledge gap, packaging's great potential for value addition is often overlooked and neglected [1, 4, 11]. A complete understanding of the customer's need is a requirement for the ability to develop packaging with optimized performance [1].
