It turns out that, for many CPG brands, packaging missteps aren’t anomalies. In fact, they’re a regular part of how teams work today — and they have a way of showing up later in go-to-market timelines.
In the last year alone, according to new data from TraceGains and Studio’s Packaging Dive, most CPG organizations experienced at least one major disruption that added risk to the product-launch process.
More than half (53%) reported at least one product delay due to packaging or labeling issues. And one-third (33%) called out miscommunication between departments as they were coordinating or executing packaging changes. While these breakdowns may not have led to near-misses or recalls, they still chipped away at timelines and confidence.
The message coming from the 150 packaging leaders who weighed in is unmistakably clear: Their packaging workflows may be slowing them down today, but they’re already laying out plans to modernize them.
Packaging Workflows Were Built for a Different Era
Why are teams dealing with these ongoing packaging and labeling issues? Because the way they work is pulling their attention in too many directions at once.
“The packaging artwork process is one of the most cross-functional processes within a CPG company,” says Gwen Bultelle, Esko CPG category specialist. “Producing a print-ready file depends on multiple upstream activities, both internal and external. Any of these can introduce delays. And when packaging or labeling issues delay a product launch, it often indicates that packaging is being managed too reactively.”
According to most survey respondents, workflows are still a blend of digital and manual effort; only 5% operating with fully digital and automated processes. Just 18% say they strongly agree that they have the tools they need to do their jobs effectively. And 82% are juggling between three and seven software systems at any given time just for packaging development.
“When you try to stitch all of that together into a very complex, interdependent workflow, you’re going to have plenty of opportunities for miscommunication or a dropped handoff,” says Paul Bradley, senior director of product marketing at TraceGains.
Most leaders know their current approaches aren’t built for the pace and complexity they’re facing now. As a result, just 21% are very confident in their organization’s packaging and labeling process, and only 25% are sure those processes could catch a critical error before it reaches consumers.
While these insights about today’s workflows may seem to point to systems under strain, packaging leaders aren’t giving in to the pressure. They have big plans for what comes next.
Investments in Packaging Tech Are Coming
Historically, says Bultelle, organizations have added more reviewers and approval steps to improve confidence in packaging and labeling. This may address some of the symptoms, but it increases time and cost — and it doesn’t address the root cause of problems, such as unclear accountability, poor-quality inputs, or weak controls.
To truly improve packaging workflows instead of simply layering on more reviews and manual checks, 79% of leaders plan to invest in new technology in the next one to two years.
And, as they vet and compare new platforms, they know exactly what they want these investments to deliver:
➢ Real-time ingredient and formulation change alerts to surface supplier and formulation changes as they happen (49%)
➢ AI-assisted compliance checking to automate routine checks for faster approval (47%)
➢ Integration between specification and artwork management to align artwork with the latest approved specs, reducing errors (41%)
With these capabilities in place, packaging teams can move away from the disparate, manual workflows they’ve relied on for so long. They’ll be able to build a more resilient foundation for the future so they can support faster launches and more dependable processes. When issues can be identified earlier, decisions move faster and teams spend less time chasing information.
Better Packaging Days Ahead
As a result of their modernization efforts, 81% of leaders expect their organization’s packaging and labeling work to become easier in the next few years.
Teams will have more time to spend on launch readiness and strategic initiatives instead of being weighed down with reconciliation, chasing down approvals, and piecing together information from multiple systems.
Putting Modern Packaging Plans into Practice
TraceGains helps packaging teams connect specifications, supplier data, and packaging workflows in one connected environment. When everyone has the same shared source of truth to work from, it’s easier to see what’s changing, who’s responsible, and what needs to happen next.
For the leaders who are ready to modernize their packaging processes and know where they want to start, the next step is finding a platform that meets performance goals and grows as requirements evolve. TraceGains offers a way to move beyond reactive fixes so products can get to market faster and with confidence.
“It’s exciting to see tech adoption on the upswing for packaging,” Bradley points out. “The organizations that will get the most benefit are the ones that are strategic and thoughtful about where information needs to be, when it needs to be there, and why — and then build a solution set that maps to that.”
Discover how TraceGains helps CPG companies reduce packaging delays and bring products to market faster with WebCenter Go.
