Rising Scandinavian stars

The success of the 2003 Scanstar packaging competition, a sort of Oscars for the Scandinavian packaging industry, shows that innovation is alive and well in the region. The event attracted 34 participants and a total of 44 entries - nine from Norway, ten from Sweden and Finland each, and 15 from Denmark. The jury awarded the Scanstar prize to nine packages at this year's Scanpack fair.

Consumer packaging specialist Huhtamaki won two prizes at the event, the first awarded for its Pick-and-mix candy cup for Leaf's subsidiary Karkkikatu. Judges commended the firm for developing a new solution for selling pick-and-mix confectionery, in which the customer is able to choose a carton cup of suitable size, select sweets and then close the snap-on-lid. The cups are preprinted with barcodes, so there is no need for weighing.

Huhtamaki​ believes that the concept could revolutionise pick and mix packaging. It saves consumers' time and retailers' work, and has the potential to reduce cost. The concept also has a fair degree of novelty value - always useful in the confectionery industry.

The Finnish company also won an award for its Slice Trays concept, developed for Huhtahyvät. The trays are made of polypropylene and are heat-sealed with a barrier film. The company believes that the product is ideal for sliced meat and cheese. The lid is reclosable and the slices can be served directly from the tray.

The pack has a Euro-hanger for vertical hanging display. This concept is also modified atmosphere (MAP) applicable, enabling a longer shelf life. The tray features a tight reclosable lid enables table serving and protects the product after opening.

A wine carton Flipbox manufactured by Danish firm Danapak Kartonnage​ was also commended.the concept is a 3-litre wine carton with a more cubical form that allows for more space for graphic design. The package has a cover that folds down to form a stable base for the carton, and the jury found the product easy to set up.

Another interesting entry was a simple cardboard package for sandwiches. Manufactured by Pyrollpack Kotelot Oy​, the product has been designed to replace sandwich wedges made of plastic. The new packages are delivered flat, thus saving space during transport and storage. The cardboard can be printed on several sides. The package also opens up into a mini-tray to facilitate eating.

Consumer packaging for sugar products, designed by SDG (Scandinavian Design Group) and entered by Danisco Sugar, also won a prize. The design of sugar packages on the consumer market has been harmonised throughout the Nordic and Baltic countries, and the new design is readily recognisable whatever the country. The jury considered the packages to represent a new line of thinking within this particular product group.

Scanstar is a Nordic packaging competition organied annually by SES - Samarbetsorganisationen för Emballagerfrågor i Skandinavien. The 2003 competition was organised by Finland and the Scanstar prizes were awarded at the Scanpack Fair​ held in Gothenburg on 21 October 2003.