Interactive Print - Near Field Communications

Not all olive oil is created equal, and as those well-versed in extra virgin olive oil know, there’s no substitute for the real deal. Thin Film Electronics has announced it is working with four Italian olive oil brands and the mobile app iOlive to incorporate NFC technology into the olive oil packaging.

According to a report from Research and Markets, the near-field communication market is expected to grow to more than $47 billion by 2024. While much of the growth is due the rise of mobile payment applications, interactive packaging can provide opportunities for NFC as well.

As part of its #Becausesummer campaign, Malibu Rum will distribute 40,000 bottles featuring smart packaging capabilities to Tesco stores. The NFC packaging allows consumers to interact with the packaging and is the largest implementation of NFC in an alcoholic beverage product.

As appealing as a craft beer delivery service may sound to micro-brew fans, smart labeling is poised to make the experience more interactive. Constantia Flexibles and Thin Film Electronics have announced they will be producing smart labels for Hopsy, a San Francisco-based beer delivery service.

Will there be a time when traditional labels are out and interactive screens are in? Scientists at the University of Sheffield and tech company Novalia have collaborated on technology that could make packaging much more interactive in the near future.

Thinfilm and Constantia Flexibles have partnered to provide pressure-sensitive labels using Thinfilm’s NFC OpenSense technology to leading brands within the beverages industries.

Companies are adding RFID and NFC tags to packaging to offer an interactive experience and connect with consumers on a deeper level.

Lest you think that RFID is limited to hang tags on clothing, think again.

Printed Electronics is on the verge of becoming a relevant technology for several of our market segments. Organic LEDs, flexible displays, RFID tags, printed discrete devices, as well as printed photovoltaic devices, are making an impact in consumer, commercial and specialty electronics markets.

Finnish apparel company NP Collection has won the Golden Tag Award 2009 for effective logistics and profitable trade using RFID. UPM Raflatac is the winner of the Minitag Award for the same project.