Table 1 SP enhancement of PFs... | Emerald Publishing

Table 1

SP enhancement of PFs (classification criteria adapted from Robertson (2016))

PF	Description	SP enhancement – active packaging (AP) and intelligent packaging (IP)
Protection	To provide protection from external and internal impacts (barrier protection, mechanical protection), facilitate preservation from spoilage, and ensure security against tampering, pilferage, theft, fraud, and counterfeiting throughout the SC (da Silva Ponciano et al., 2025; Robertson, 2016; Young et al., 2023)	AP – Facilitates interactions between the item and its internal environment to absorb or release substances, thereby keeping items fresher for longer while guaranteeing nutritional attributes (Abekoon et al., 2024; Sharma et al., 2023)
Protection		IP – Continuously monitors, records, and verifies product integrity through real-time sensing of internal and environmental conditions, integrity/tamper detection, and traceability/authentication features, enabling early risk detection and rapid intervention to maintain product protection (Abekoon et al., 2024; Ahmed et al., 2018; Sadeghi et al., 2022)
Communication	To deliver diverse information in various forms to different SC stakeholders, including identifying and informing about the product, attracting attention and influencing perception, decision-making, branding, marketing and advertising (Lydekaityte and Tambo, 2020; Robertson, 2016; Sadeghi et al., 2022; Young et al., 2023)	AP – Indirectly contributes through functional compounds that may induce visible state changes indicating product condition (Barone et al., 2021; Mesci et al., 2024; Sadeghi et al., 2022)
Communication		IP – Converts product and environmental states (e.g. temperature, gas composition, location) into digital signals, enabling real-time monitoring, tracking and tracing, quality alerts, accessible product information, and data-driven decision-making across supply chain stakeholders and consumers (Abekoon et al., 2024; Sadeghi et al., 2022; Young et al., 2023)
Convenience	To facilitate convenient handling including logistics (storage, transportation, distribution, warehousing, and stacking), retail (placement on shelves, inventory), consumption or utilisation (opening, re-opening, portability, storability), and disposal (Robertson, 2016; Sadeghi et al., 2022; Young et al., 2023)	AP – Indirectly contributes to maintain optimal internal package environment, prolonging product viability which may indirectly facilitate storage and distribution operations. (e.g. reducing the need for frequent manual quality inspections) (Firouz et al., 2021; Sadeghi et al., 2022)
Convenience		IP – Uses non-line-of-sight scanning and wireless data exchange to automate inventory capture and data flows, enabling real-time inventory management, streamlined handling operations, and data-driven optimisation of logistics and return processes (Abekoon et al., 2024; Sadeghi et al., 2022)
Containment	To serve as a source of containment by enclosing, enveloping, and holding goods together securely (da Silva Ponciano et al., 2025; Robertson, 2016; Sadeghi et al., 2022)	AP – Regulates the internal package environment (e.g. oxygen, moisture, gas) to stabilise product conditions and indirectly support containment by preventing degradation that could compromise package integrity (da Silva Ponciano et al., 2025)
Containment		IP – Affixes digital identifiers to primary, secondary, and tertiary units to monitor package integrity and detects breaches (e.g. damage, tampering), enabling timely intervention to maintain secure enclosure of a product (Abekoon et al., 2024; Machiels et al., 2021; Sadeghi et al., 2022)

PF	Description	SP enhancement – active packaging (AP) and intelligent packaging (IP)
Protection	To provide protection from external and internal impacts (barrier protection, mechanical protection), facilitate preservation from spoilage, and ensure security against tampering, pilferage, theft, fraud, and counterfeiting throughout the SC (da Silva Ponciano et al., 2025; Robertson, 2016; Young et al., 2023)	AP – Facilitates interactions between the item and its internal environment to absorb or release substances, thereby keeping items fresher for longer while guaranteeing nutritional attributes (Abekoon et al., 2024; Sharma et al., 2023)
Protection		IP – Continuously monitors, records, and verifies product integrity through real-time sensing of internal and environmental conditions, integrity/tamper detection, and traceability/authentication features, enabling early risk detection and rapid intervention to maintain product protection (Abekoon et al., 2024; Ahmed et al., 2018; Sadeghi et al., 2022)
Communication	To deliver diverse information in various forms to different SC stakeholders, including identifying and informing about the product, attracting attention and influencing perception, decision-making, branding, marketing and advertising (Lydekaityte and Tambo, 2020; Robertson, 2016; Sadeghi et al., 2022; Young et al., 2023)	AP – Indirectly contributes through functional compounds that may induce visible state changes indicating product condition (Barone et al., 2021; Mesci et al., 2024; Sadeghi et al., 2022)
Communication		IP – Converts product and environmental states (e.g. temperature, gas composition, location) into digital signals, enabling real-time monitoring, tracking and tracing, quality alerts, accessible product information, and data-driven decision-making across supply chain stakeholders and consumers (Abekoon et al., 2024; Sadeghi et al., 2022; Young et al., 2023)
Convenience	To facilitate convenient handling including logistics (storage, transportation, distribution, warehousing, and stacking), retail (placement on shelves, inventory), consumption or utilisation (opening, re-opening, portability, storability), and disposal (Robertson, 2016; Sadeghi et al., 2022; Young et al., 2023)	AP – Indirectly contributes to maintain optimal internal package environment, prolonging product viability which may indirectly facilitate storage and distribution operations. (e.g. reducing the need for frequent manual quality inspections) (Firouz et al., 2021; Sadeghi et al., 2022)
Convenience		IP – Uses non-line-of-sight scanning and wireless data exchange to automate inventory capture and data flows, enabling real-time inventory management, streamlined handling operations, and data-driven optimisation of logistics and return processes (Abekoon et al., 2024; Sadeghi et al., 2022)
Containment	To serve as a source of containment by enclosing, enveloping, and holding goods together securely (da Silva Ponciano et al., 2025; Robertson, 2016; Sadeghi et al., 2022)	AP – Regulates the internal package environment (e.g. oxygen, moisture, gas) to stabilise product conditions and indirectly support containment by preventing degradation that could compromise package integrity (da Silva Ponciano et al., 2025)
Containment		IP – Affixes digital identifiers to primary, secondary, and tertiary units to monitor package integrity and detects breaches (e.g. damage, tampering), enabling timely intervention to maintain secure enclosure of a product (Abekoon et al., 2024; Machiels et al., 2021; Sadeghi et al., 2022)

Source(s): Authors’ own elaboration