London student scoops National Packaging Design Competition

Packaging Solutions

The winner of a national design competition – run by Pro Carton and its UK counterpart, BPIF Cartons – that promotes young talent in the packaging industry, has been revealed as Ravensbourne University student, Bilaal Khan.

Each year, Pro Carton, the European carton and cartonboard association, challenges UK designers with developing an innovative packaging format from cartonboard. The winner of this year’s UK Young Designers Award picked up the coveted prize for his ‘vegan food kit’ that taps into the growing consumer trend for meal kits and meat alternatives.

Veganism has soared in popularity in recent years, with 3.5 million in the UK now opting for a plant based diet, often as result of environmental concerns. The increasing volume of those eating eco friendly diets also means a spike in demand for eco friendly packaging, and new packaging concepts are required for a growing market of consumers who value sustainability above all else.

Bilaal’s winning entry focused on the creating a carton based pack that was easy for the consumer to use and required minimal materials. Speaking about his design, he said: ‘In many food kits, the food simply drops to the bottom of the pack. It was a frustration that inspired me to create this innovative new format. The triangular design restricts movement of the ingredients and reduces the amount of material needed. Carton is the most sustainable form of packaging and is the natural fit for this product.’

The award was presented by Tony Hitchin, general manager of Pro Carton, and Jon Clark, general manager of BPIF Cartons, at an award ceremony at Ravensbourne University.