The Starpack Student Awards are taking place for the fourth year running, offering students the opportunity to design packaging for some of the world’s biggest brands including Coca Cola and Nestlé. Prizes are awarded for the best designs, ranging from an all expenses paid trip to Portugal to meet the people at packaging company Logoplaste, a cheque for £500 or even the chance to have your design patented.

The UK-based Benton Group feel that food packaging is often not as interesting as its contents and so they are looking for new designs for a cake and lunchtime-wrap that will look good in the food-to-go market. Nestlé are also looking for packaging designs which suit people on the go and will award £500 to the entry which best packages luxury chocolates for those  with a busy lifestyle.

Prizes are also available in the drinks packaging industry, Logoplaste are looking for a way to package wine without using glass and Coca Cola are asking students to come up with a new bottle shape for their energy drinks. Other challenges include designing child-proof yet easy-to-open packaging, using fully-recycled corrugated board in a commercial product and creating a reusable bag to be given out at festivals.

The closing date for entries 2 March 2012. The competition is open to students at college or university in the UK or Overseas, entry includeds a nominal fee of £15 which includes a year’s free membership of The Packaging Society, within IOM3.

Further information

Free samples of the materials needed can be requested.

Full details of Student Design Briefs