Trend Q&A: Exploring compostable packaging solutions and more

Metaverse opportunities in China, decolonisation and compostable packaging. That and more on today’s episode.

Want to know what’s next? Listen to the show where our experts from around the globe unpack your biggest challenges. This week, WGSN’s Executive Editorial Director Bethan Ryder takes us to Shanghai, Bogotá and North Carolina. Hear from the friendly faces of our Insight, Client Services and Food & Drink teams.

Watch the full episode below or read on for highlights of this episode:

Q: How will the metaverse evolve differently in China and what are the key opportunities to connect?
“China has been taking a different approach to building its own version of a metaverse. Opportunities for China’s metaverse will be more about immersive socialising and less about decentralised tech due to internet regulations. This is allowing brands to power direct-to-avatar commerce to help avatars of Chinese consumers stand out on metaverse platforms.”
– Athena Chen, Senior Strategist, Insight
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Q: What is decolonisation?
“Decolonisation is an attempt to remove or rewrite values and regulations produced by the colonial era that still influence society today. Countries and regions have been questioning ethnocentrism. This has resulted in the rediscovery of their own identities and generated an increased creativity influx.
“We’ve noted the importance of decolonisation in the food and drink industry, where indigenous chefs around the world are drawing attention to native ingredients and reclaiming their culinary history.”
– Maria Pascua, Senior Customer Experience Specialist, WGSN
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Q: Why is it so hard to compost compostable packaging? What’s the answer to this when every town has a different recycling and composting programme for waste?
“One of the biggest areas of confusion today is the difference between at-home compostables and industrial compostables. Industrially compostable plastics were created to degrade in specific heat, moisture and light conditions, while at-home compostables can be expected to degrade in natural or at-home conditions in a few months. Innovators are working on innovations such as PHA-based plastics, which can degrade in at-home or even marine environments within a few months. Innovations like this will be increasingly important as the issue of ocean plastics comes to the fore.”
– Claire Lancaster, Head of Food & Drink, WGSN
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