According to the Food Marketing Institute (FMI), there are nearly 40,000 products in a typical supermarket, all competing for the same consumer dollars. With an increased use of digital and social media to interact directly with the consumer, manufacturers are gauging real-time preferences and receiving instant feedback. As the battle for consumer spending continues relentlessly, factors and trends such as food safety, convenience and an active concern for the environment weigh heavily in buying decisions. These trends — all seen at PACK EXPO Las Vegas 2013 last month — will continue to drive advances in technology and materials science to produce innovative processing and packaging solutions.