Sun Chemical has unveiled several new products and has developed lacquers that feel rough or smooth. They can be overprinted on to standard packs. The goal is to aid in stimulating the senses; a technique used Amcor Flexibles to produce Hovis crustless bread packs. The soft-touch lacquer allows the packaging to feel softer.

There are many effects and many ways that brands try to get their product noticed. Brands are becoming even more demanding. Challenges within the industry include the films that are being printed on. Coated products are considered expensive but the construction of film is important with a move to treated materials. Another costly expense is the investment in new equipment for packaging printers.

The dominant technology is flexo. The method involves printing on a web press using rubber or plastic plates with raised images. Gravure printing, on the other hand, involves the printing of an image that has been etched on the surface of a metal plate that is noted for its high quality at long runs. VMB is one of the big spenders on flexo technology. They are a part of the British Polythene Industries, a manufacturer of polythene films.