PDD is a London-based global product and service design innovation consultancy. The company has expertise in what it describes as providing innovation in packaging across multiple industries including the medical and consumer industries. Their current clients include Ford, Levi's, Hitachi, Samsung and HSBC.
'Open conversation'
Speaking to Packaging News about current trends, PDD principal of design and innovation Oliver Stokes said: "There are two issues happening at the moment. One is that the packaging industry needs to think more about the end user and the second is that they need to have a much more open conversation with all the supply chain and brands.
"People need to get together more often. There are experts in manufacturing and FMCG. They could share information better and empower products and brands to supply better products for consumers."
He also explained that raw material suppliers and converters need a direct link to brands.
Elsewhere, Stokes said the topic of sustainability was still on the agenda with his FMCG clients. He said PDD is currently trying to work with them on "how they communicate what sustainability actually is" to consumers.
He also said that the packaging industry was five-to-ten years behind giving a focus to the consumer, if you compared it to other industries. He said certain sectors, such as the mobile phone technology industry, were "sensitive to designing products with the human in mind".
