Online retail sales continue to rise and are expected to account for 38.1% of all UK retail sales by 2025 – a value of £152 million* [source: Statista]. Businesses don’t want to miss out on this big number by being underprepared.
Some common pain points are avoidable with proper planning and preparation: labour shortages, lack of space, bottlenecks in the workflow, running out of packaging materials, and damages.
Antalis Packaging’s peakCONSULT, launched in 2024 as part of its long running smartCONSULT range of services, helps businesses address their pain points by exploring their existing warehouse and packing areas to see where efficiencies can be made. This might include recommendations for changing workflows or developing new products and solutions to help improve packing speeds, whether that’s an off-the-shelf solution, creating bespoke packaging to address very particular challenges, or introducing automation to relieve pressure on packers.
Sustainability is also an essential factor. 59% of consumers prefer online orders to be delivered in paper packaging [source: Two Sides]. As well as being environmentally responsible in terms of how it is sourced and manufactured (provided it comes from a reputable supplier), paper-based packaging is also easy for consumers to recycle as it can go straight into the kerbside paper recycling bin.
Head of Sustainability, Innovation and Design at Antalis, John Garner, comments: “Recyclability of materials is an important factor when it comes to selecting packaging materials that deliver a positive customer experience. And the less the consumer must do, the better. For example, opt for paper tapes and document wallets that can be recycled with the rest of the paper packaging materials – there’s no need to remove them first, unlike plastic tapes and wallets.”
Antalis recently launched the Optimax OM700 WAT, a large-capacity water-activated tape dispenser ideal for high-volume, fast-paced shipping environments. It can increase packer productivity by up to 20%.
John continues: “We visit customers’ premises to see exactly how they’re operating and where we think they can make improvements, including switching to more sustainable materials that are also highly efficient to use.”
However, peak isn’t just about surviving; it’s a huge opportunity for retailers and brands to promote themselves and impress customers so they come back again and again.
The consultant will also make recommendations on how packaging can be used as a vehicle for promotion and for optimising customer experience. This might include recommending custom packaging and printing or simply ensuring the type and volume of materials used are right to ensure orders are delivered safely without overuse of materials or packaging.
John finishes: “The recipe for a successful peak involves four key ingredients: preparation, plan, promote and pack. Through peakCONSULT, Antalis can help customers get the right mix to get their share of that big pie.”
For more information, please visit https://ask.antalis.co.uk/peakconsult