Apprehensive Optimism

Innovation and science will be the key to the future of the folding carton market, as converters try to compete with such flexible packaging innovations as pouches, Markens added. "Pouches are still problematic. We need a good way to fight back," he said. "They cost the same as folding cartons to make, but cost per unit is much higher. [Products packaged in] pouches are generally more expensive than folding cartons. And generally they have less volume of product in the pouch than the carton at a similar price point. Therefore the unit cost of the pouches is higher."