The influence of food packaging on eComm

A STUDY* by TGW Logistics, Greiner Packaging and logistikum.RETAIL examined the how packaging design affects automation and robot picking. The findings are promising: most existing packaging works well with modern picking systems. 

Automation as driver of efficiency enhancement

Key packaging challenges in automated handling of online food orders arise from arise form irregular shapes and sizes, fragile materials and problematic lids.

However, the interviewed retail companies considered damage to goods to be a negligible problem. If damages occur, it is usually due to mishandling of the products during the last mile and not during picking. 

Retailers see automation as vital for boosting efficiency and labour shortages. For successful automation, robots must be able to grip a wide range of products. Modern gripping technology and machine learning are essential. 

Key factors for automation-friendly packaging include:

• Standardised sizes and shapes
• Robust materials 
• Design optimised design for machine handling

Automation is set to play a larger role in future packaging and dispatch processing, with robots handling routine tasks and humans focusing on special tasks, corrections and monitoring. 

“Picking robots not only improve constantly and in short time thanks to machine learning, in the future they could also be employed for tasks like restocking shelves overnight. Special configurations are available for these applications,” Michael Schedlbauer, vice president of business development grocery at TGW Logistics concluded.

*Study by TGW logistics, packaging specialist Greiner Packaging and logistikum. RETAIL, the innovation and competence centerer of the University of Applied Sciences of Upper Austria. Apart from questioning retail companies, intensive tests with the TGW picking robot RovoFlex were conducted.

For more information, click here