PACKAGING TRENDS The Matrix Elete vertical form fill has a BPM of 130 units per minute and is great for when hygienic bagging is required. Photo: Matrix Has COVID made packaging less sustainable? Increased reliance on packaging seems, at first glance, like a step in the wrong direction. But packaging solution providers don't see it that way. In the UK, for instance, DS Smith and market research provider Ipsos MORI found that despite the global crisis, 85% of consumers expressed a desire for products that used as little packaging as possible. The study also revealed that consumers continue to prioritize sustainable packaging solutions. 8 JULY/AUGUST 2 0 21