Packaging is a primary focus for the growing cannabis-infused food and beverage industry, including products infused with health-focused non-psychoactive cannabidiol (CBD)—which have global appeal—and those infused with tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), which compete with beer, wine, and spirits in the 11 U.S. states plus the District of Columbia, which have all rescinded cannabis prohibition for adults.
While FDA is still assessing the safety of CBD in foods and beverages, cannabis-infused products are widely available on the market — particularly in states that have fully legalized cannabis products. This has left regulatory oversight to the individual states. THC-infused foods and beverages have strict labeling protocols, and require child-resistant packaging. The burgeoning cannabis food and beverage market is also highly brand-focused, with emerging demographics gaining new levels of exposure to the products. All of these factors often lead to products that have diverse packaging needs — often too much packaging, with redundancies and concerns about waste and sustainability. These diverse needs have also created a strong climate for innovation.