Toppan to Present Latest Smart Packaging Solutions at Luxe Pack Monaco

Toppan and Toppan Europe GmbH (Toppan Europe) will participate in Luxe Pack Monaco 2022, the premier trade show for creative packaging, from Oct. 3 to 5.

Against the backdrop of the rapid digital shift in consumer behavior prompted in part by the COVID-19 pandemic, smart packaging solutions are receiving considerable attention in the luxury industry, including the cosmetics and high-end wine and spirits sectors. This is not just in recognition of the advantages smart packages offer for ID management and product authenticity verification, but also of their effectiveness as a tool for interactive communication with customers.

However, many high-end cosmetics products are sold in small containers holding no more than 100 ml. The associated constraints on tag size and design when equipping such containers with NFC tags and other ID devices have presented an obstacle to more widespread adoption.

Another challenge is that metal materials are often used for the containers and packaging of cosmetics and luxury items to convey a sense of high-quality commensurate with the product. Metal, however, can negatively impact communication performance for NFC tags.

Responding to brands wanting to address these issues, Toppan has leveraged extensive experience and expertise in the field to expand its lineup of NFC tag products. At Luxe Pack Monaco, Toppan will showcase high-performance NFC tags that can be attached to small or metallic containers as well as comprehensive smart packaging solutions that fully leverage the advantages of the tags in combination with a back-end, cloud-based ID authentication platform.

Toppan has developed two concept models, with diameters of 7 mm and 8 mm, respectively. It is generally difficult to maintain communication performance when the size of the antenna is reduced, but Toppan’s original design preserves the same performance as conventional tags.

This means Toppan’s tags can be used for compact containers, such as for small cosmetics products like lipsticks and mascara, as well as vials and syringes used in medical and pharmaceutical settings.

Metal materials generally inhibit communication between NFC devices, but these NFC tags maintain performance even when attached to metals because of an original design and modifications enabled by Toppan’s unique know-how.

Toppan’s cloud-based ID authentication platform enables product authentication, allows brands to provide product information, promotions, and other services, and facilitates supply chain management, including traceability and monitoring of grey market diversion, based on data collected.