When consumer packaged goods start acting like software

Historically, consumer packaged goods (CPG) were designed to be sold in a brick-and-mortar retail environment -- in packaging flashy enough to catch a consumer's eyes while presenting the right information to compel a purchase. But packaging doesn't need to sell the product anymore. The Internet is becoming the primary channel for marketing and sales, customer experiences are being tailored to reflect our "smart" and "connected" world, and data has become the most valuable commodity to target the right customers at the right time. Producers have new ways to optimize. They may choose more environmentally friendly, cost-effective, or shippable packing.