Topics around sustainability and the future of food were cited as some of the major challenges facing the food and drink industry by delegates of Anuga FoodTec – the food industry processing and packaging show held in Cologne, Germany all last week.
FoodBev Media asked exhibitors for their take on which challenges were affecting them in their part of the food industry.
Reducing packaging waste and disposing of waste correctly were some of the most commonly cited themes, with one delegate explaining “our industry will have to do more”. Addressing current levels of food waste, and manufacturing food in a way that respects nature, were also mentioned several times.
The industry’s plastics problem, brought into focus recently, is a question of disposal rather than material: plastic drinks bottles are recyclable, but far too often they are disposed of incorrectly by consumers and just 7% of plastic bottles produced are currently recycled and converted into new rPET bottles.
Attendees were also concerned with food security, and the question of how we will continue to feed a growing population.
The United Nations (UN) expects the world population to grow to 8.5 billion by 2030 and, with 90% of people projected to live in developing economies by that time, the industry must find innovative ways to continue feeding that rising population.
There are still concerns about the sustainability of meat and the scarcity of water, so what did attendees at Anuga FoodTec have to say on the topic?
Many mentioned subjects related to food security, including the extent of rising demand and the need to produce enough food. Topics such as sourcing high-quality ingredients, ensuring the accuracy of filling, and maintaining hygiene standards also made an appearance.
Many of the attendees at Anuga FoodTec were involved in the packaging, food processing or automation industries – so they are somewhat shielded from the frontline of consumer behaviour and consumer trends. But it’s clear that many of the issues that affect their customers are also being felt here, too.
Craft, naturalness, healthiness and sustainability were all top-of-mind to the companies we spoke to.
Automation was a massive theme at Anuga FoodTec, and we were also told about concerns around the way the industry handles the transition. Economic uncertainty, removing the element of human error from the production environment, cybersecurity, and the issue of localisation versus globalisation.
Food products are becoming more customisable and more personalised, putting pressure on those companies that supply the technology.
One interesting subject that was mentioned was the fear of change itself – a possible obstacle in a fast-paced industry.
FoodBev Media group editor Alex Clere said: “It was great to get out into Anuga FoodTec again this year and talk to exhibitors about the challenges they’re facing. There were so many different industries present at this year’s show that our survey really demonstrates a breadth of issues affecting the global food and beverage industry.
“And this barely scratches the surface. We heard many of the same themes making repeat appearances, but it’s clear to us that the future of the industry will face an even greater number of threats and hurdles than the companies we spoke with could predict.
“We’d like to thank everybody who allowed us to put them on the spot!”
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