In a record year of entries, the annual Australasian Packaging Innovation and Design (PIDA) Awards program – coordinated by the Australian Institute of Packaging (AIP) – has announced the finalists for 2021 across 11 categories. The list represents the cream of the crop in packaging design innovation and industry contribution for 2021.
The peak innovation and design awards program for packaging in Australasia, PIDA has enjoyed an overwhelming response from the packaging converting and commercial end-user sectors this year, with the number and quality of entries reflecting an industry galvanised to make positive change in pursuit of the 2025 National Packaging Targets as well as their own broader sustainability goals.
The PIDA Awards 2021 recognise organisations that have designed innovative packaging within the following six categories:
- Food Packaging Design of the Year
- Beverage Packaging Design of the Year
- Health, Beauty and Wellness Packaging Design of the Year
- Domestic and Household Packaging Design of the Year
- Labelling and Decoration Design of the Year
- Outside of the Box Design of the Year
The PIDA Awards also acknowledges finalists in a number of special awards, including:
- Marketing Design of the Year
- Save Food Packaging Design of the Year
- Sustainable Packaging Design of the Year
- Young Packaging Professional of the Year
- Industry Professional of the Year
Winners of all categories (aside from Young Packaging Professional and Industry Professional) are automatically eligible for entry into the 2022 WorldStar Packaging Awards.
“Never have we seen such an astronomical number of entries across all categories – the Sustainable Packaging Design category in particular saw such a high number of outstanding entries that the judges decided on 26 finalists for 2021,” says Nerida Kelton, executive director, AIP.
“The judges were extremely impressed with the significant step changes that so many companies are making across the entire value chain to meet the 2025 National Packaging Targets.
“The sheer volume of unnecessary packaging being reduced or replaced with more sustainable alternatives is quite remarkable and should be commended,” Kelton said.
PIDA 2021 AWARDS FINALISTS
The Food category recognises organisations within food packaging and processing, including fresh, frozen and other.
- Blue Harvest Oyster Tray (BioPak)
- Bread Bag Closure (Tip Top Bakeries)
- Brookfarm (OF Packaging)
- Chobani (PakPot)
- Culley’s Kitchen NZ (Pact Group)
- Edgell Supa Crunch (Simplot Australia)
- George Weston Foods (OF Packaging)
- Masterfoods Herb and Spices (MARS Food Australia and Cormack Packaging)
- Nature's Way SlimRight (Zipform Packaging)
- Oasis Spice Shaker (Oasis and qDesign Enterprises)
- Petzyo (OF Packaging)
- Southern Fresh Foods (NAVI Co Global)
- SqueezePak (Wellman Packaging)
- The Collective (Pact Group)
The Beverage category recognises organisations within packaging and processing for liquid or dry tea, coffee, water and soft drinks, including wine, beer and spirits.
- De Bortoli Petit Moscato (Cutler Brands)
- Flexi-Hex Sleeve and Pinch mailer system (MaCher Australia)
- PodPress Capsule System (REFLO)
- Schulz Organic Dairy (Rhima Australia)
- SIPP Instant (SIPP Instant)
- Cosmo Carrie (Sophisticated Cocktail Co)
- Yellowglen 50th (Cutler Brands)
The Health, Beauty and Wellness category recognises organisations within cosmetics, toiletries, personal hygiene, supplements, vitamins, perfumes, hair body and oral care. This award also covers packaging of all medicines, including over the counter medicines and medical equipment packaging.
- Chemist Depot (Production Packaging Innovation)
- Dove (Pact Group)
- Lovekins (Impact International)
- rPump (Zipform Packaging)
- Solveasy (EGO Pharmaceuticals)
- TRESemme (Pact Group)
- Vaccine Protector (Planet Protector Packaging)
The Domestic and Household category recognises organisations within domestic and household items, toys, stationery, gifts, clothing, garden equipment and decorating.
- Colgate Palmolive (Wellman Packaging)
- Cove (Natures Organics)
- Grab and Go shaker (Caps and Closures)
- IKEA (Packsize Australia)
- Surf (Pact Group)
- Telstra (Birdstone Collective and Telstra)
- Tui Made (OF Packaging)
- Worm Tech Bag (OF Packaging)
- Zero Co (OF Packaging)
The Labelling and Decoration category recognises the addition of content to a pack, which creates a unique or innovative appearance, function or communication. This may include labels, sleeves, tags, coding/markings, etching, directly applied inks or by any other similar process.
- Brookfarm (OF Packaging)
- De Bortoli Petit Moscato (Cutler Brands)
- Pakko Counter Display (Pakko)
- Pana Organic (Zipform Packaging)
- UV22 QR Print (Danone SN)
The Outside of the Box category has been established for miscellaneous packs and materials that are not included in any other category.
- Curby soft plastics trial program (Nestle Australia, CurbCycle, iQRenew and Central Coast Council)
- Daisy Dam Covers (Sealed Air)
- rPump (Zipform Packaging)
- VentX Unico (Omni Group)
The Marketing category considers not only primary packaging, but also secondary and tertiary packaging designs. This can incorporate the functionality of the pack, the aesthetic design and the outstanding visual appearance that makes the pack stand out on shelf, the premium and gifting style design, and/or unique and interactive communication tools on the pack.
- Cutri Fruit (NAVI Co Global)
- KitKat ‘Give the Planet A Break’ wrappers and soft plastics promotional campaign (Nestle Australia)
- Oasis Spice Shaker (Oasis and qDesign Enterprises)
- Pana Organic (Zipform Packaging)
The Save Food Packaging category recognises companies that are working to minimise or prevent food waste from paddock to plate using innovative and intuitive design features that can contain and protect, preserve and extend shelf life – all the while meeting global sustainable packaging targets.
- Edgell Supa Crunch (Simplot Australia)
- George Weston Foods (OF Packaging)
- Junee Lamb (Sealed Air for Cryovac brand Total Bone Guard)
- Simson’s Pantry Wraps (True Foods and Result Group)
- Southern Fresh Foods (NAVI Co Global)
The Sustainable Packaging category is designed to recognise companies that have developed innovative packaging or processing solutions that incorporate sustainability considerations. Elements include Social, Material, Waste Reduction, Energy and Recovery.
- Coles Hot Smoked Salmon range (Coles Supermarket)
- Colgate Palmolive (Wellman Packaging)
- Cove (Natures Organics)
- Dairy Industry Sustainable Labelling Program (Labelmakers)
- Dove (Pact Group)
- Flexi-Hex Sleeve and Pinch mailer system (MaCher Australia)
- Kapiri Bros Tomato Punnet (BioPak)
- Linerless Closures for oil-based dressings (Wellman Packaging)
- Lightweight Fliptop (Wellman Packaging)
- Lovekins (Impact International)
- Melbourne Coffee (Cyclpac)
- Nescafe Blend 43 Lid and Cap (Nestle Australia)
- NZ Post Jiffy Recycled Shurtuff (Sealed Air)
- Oasis Spice Shaker (Oasis and qDesign Enterprises)
- Blue Harvest Oyster Trays (BioPak)
- PodPress Capsule System (REFLO)
- Polyrok (Replas)
- Schulz Organic Dairy (Rhima Australia)
- SqueezePak sauce bottle (Wellman Packaging)
- Telstra (Birdstone Collective and Telstra)
- The Collective (Pact Group)
- Vaccine Protector (Planet Protector Packaging)
- VentX Unico (Omni Group)
- Woolworths Meat Tray (Woolworths Group)
- Zero Co (OF Packaging)
- 1/6 Pallet Retail Ready Platform (CHEP Australia)
“Stand out packs cover all areas of the waste hierarchy, including Redesign, Reduce, Reuse, Recycle,” Kelton says.
“It was encouraging to see such a significant increase in the use of Australasian Recycling Logos on pack, improvements in recyclable materials, an increase in Post-Consumer Recycled content being used, innovative reuse and refill systems, and many closed loop and collaborative programs.
“The step changes made over the last 12 months are evident in the design of the new packaging and showcases the work that many in the industry are undertaking to meet the targets by 2025.”
PROFESSIONAL AWARDS
An important part of the program is to recognise individuals working in packaging who are making their mark in the packaging industry.
The Industry Packaging Professional category is designed to recognise and acknowledge the outstanding achievements and significant contributions by an individual currently working within the packaging industry in Australia or New Zealand.
- Alan Adams, sustainability director – APAC, Sealed Air
- Brendon Holmes, managing director, Caps and Closures
- Graeme Lang, group technical manager, Labelmakers
The purpose of the Young Packaging Professional category is to provide incentive and recognition to young professionals who are both currently working in and wish to continue their career path within the packaging industry in Australia or New Zealand.
- Azadeh Yousefi, industrial packaging designer, Production Packaging Innovations
- Caitlyn Richards, group responsible sourcing manager, Coles
- Jessica Ansell, marketing manager, OF Packaging
- Nina Nguyen, founder and CEO, Pakko
“All of the 2021 PIDA entries across the 11 categories should all be congratulated for their achievements and we look forward to announcing the winners during our virtual awards ceremony.
As mentioned previously, the PIDA awards also acts as the exclusive feeder program for Australia and New Zealand for the prestigious WorldStar Packaging Awards, with winners in the categories (excluding the people awards) automatically eligible for entry into the 2022 global competition.
“Winning a WorldStar Packaging Award, off the back of a PIDA, provides a platform to showcase innovative and intuitive local packaging design on a global stage,” explains Kelton.
“Many ANZ companies have been recognised over the years with a WorldStar Award, with a number also being acknowledged with Sustainable Packaging and Save Food Packaging Special Awards from the World Packaging Organisation (WPO).
“This global recognition is a true indication of the quality of packaging design that is developed in our region.”
The 2021 Australasian PIDA Award winners will be formally announced virtually on 25 and 26 May.
