Episode Summary
In this episode of the People of Packaging Podcast, host Adam Peek sits down with Adam Page, VP of Reports at Smithers, to dive deep into the world of packaging market research. With over 25 years of experience in the industry, Adam Page shares valuable insights on why true market intelligence requires human expertise, the limitations of relying solely on AI, and how rapid changes in e-commerce and sustainability regulations are reshaping the packaging landscape.
Key Takeaways & Timestamps
01:40 – Global Footprint: Discover where Smithers is located—spanning London, Akron (Ohio), and Suzhou (China)—and their legacy stemming from PIRA (Printing Industry Research Association).
02:50 – The Hogwarts Debate: A quick detour into the magical world of Harry Potter. Is it Gryffindor or Hufflepuff?
04:45 – The Real Value of Human Research: Why desk research and AI aren’t enough. Adam explains the art of “triangulating” data from multiple industry stakeholders to uncover the real truth.
06:30 – The Paradox of the Consumer: Consumers say they want sustainability, but they also want it cheap and delivered to their doorstep in 24 hours. How do brands navigate these conflicting demands?
10:40 – E-Commerce & Corrugated Trends: How the rise of AI-driven “right-sizing” packaging technology at companies like Amazon is actually shifting corrugated volume demand.
11:50 – The PCR Crunch: Major brands have massive goals for Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) content, but the global recycling infrastructure can’t keep up with the demand. Where will the material come from?
Notable Quotes
“AI is wonderful for problems that have already been solved and already understood... But when you’re trying something that is unknown, where there are ambiguities and uncertainties, AI falls into the mistake of being too certain about its answer.”
— Adam Page, Smithers
##🔗 Connect with Us!
If you want to stay on top of the latest packaging trends, make sure to follow and connect with our host across social media:
LinkedIn: Connect with Adam Peek on LinkedIn to see daily insights and industry commentary.
TikTok: Follow the “Label King” himself on TikTok @thelabelking for behind-the-scenes content and quick packaging breakdowns.
To learn more about the market reports discussed in this episode or to connect with the team at Smithers, visit Smithers.com.
