As label and package printing converters look to identify consumer trends, security labeling should rank chief among them. In the age of COVID-19, shoppers have become ever-more health-conscious, demanding that brands answer their concerns with new and innovative security measures.

Consumers would be hard-pressed to find a product at the grocery store that does not feature some sort of security measure to ensure the package has not been tampered with. This open/closed feature can be seen in a range of markets, from wine and spirits to food. Think of the last time you went grocery shopping. Upon returning home, those items featured at least one measure of security. For example, I opened a salad dressing bottle that was adorned with a plastic neckband.

Fast-food chains, such as Starbucks, have also gone to great lengths to ensure the safety of their products during the pandemic. Added packaging, designed to safeguard the snack, can improve consumer confidence.

Security goes beyond product tampering too. Shoppers want to know that the products they’re purchasing are the real deal.

“The Global Brand Counterfeiting and Trademark Infringement Report, 2018” by R Strategic Global states that counterfeit goods are expected to be a $1.95 trillion market by 2022. Research from Avery Dennison states that pharmaceuticals represent the biggest counterfeit market – valued at $200 billion.

That has the potential to cast a lot of doubt on one’s purchases.

Collaboration throughout all levels of the supply chain will be critical in tackling these security challenges. Suppliers will need to manufacture new substrates, inks, and printing presses capable of running these materials, while converters will need to work with brands to educate them on the possibilities.

For converters with digital presses, the technology might include printing barcodes, variable data and serializing.