How Flexible Packaging is Changing the World of Consumer Packaged Goods?
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The use of flexible packaging in the consumer packaged goods and foods industry is marked by its cost and price affordability in terms of materials logistics in comparison with traditional rigid packaging. [1]
In the food industry as a sub-section of the fast-moving consumer goods industry, packaging plays a critical role in terms of aesthetic appeal for customer attraction and as well as for operational cost now that pre-packaged food products are consumed at significant quantities with a high turnaround rate that such a process can either count for a large cost or be streamlined to generate savings.
The introduction of flexible packaging into the food industry also stands for the landed concept of circular economy which is a holistic approach to mitigate the detrimental effects of traditional linear ones [2] and when it comes to packaging, it is about the rigid packaging. Beyond the benefits of cost-saving, sustainability, versatility, flexibility, eco-friendliness, easy customization, and other characteristics provided by flexible packaging allow it to outstrip all the traditional forms of packaging and lead to an innovative course for CPG and retail packaging.
We will cast light on the secrets of flexible packaging and the impacts it has on the food industry and study how pre-packaged products benefit from this new form of packaging.
What is Flexible Food Packaging?
As a sacred morning ritual, a thirty-something packaging designer would wake up in the morning and get ready to be filled with his favorite morning meal of granola, full of oats, nuts, and a mix of seeds, then get a generous pouring into the bowl. What he may or may not be aware of is that the gusseted pouch that contains the granola is also a type of flexible packaging. The pre-packaged food products including the trays of ready-to-eat seafood paella, for example, by Carretilla, or simply bars of chocolates collated and loaded on 4-point glued carton trays, are all considered as a form of flexible packaging.
Back to the topic, flexible food packaging does not refer to any certain form of packaging, nevertheless, flexible packaging can be classified into things like intimate shrink and over wraps that have tight and direct contact with the product, or bundling wraps that group multiple products together and be handled as a single unit, [3] or to be more specific, flexible packaging can be as bags, pouches, plastic, film, aluminum foil, metalized films, and other materials.
Creating solutions from an amalgamation of versatile materials such as durable plastic pouches, resilient aluminum foil, and robust multi-layer films, flexible food packaging has swiftly emerged as a favorite among retailers and brands across diverse sectors. It is loved for its lightweight nature, coupled with the ease of adaptation for a range of different products, making it extremely user-friendly.
Why is Flexible Packaging a Preferred Option for Packaged Food Products?
Grand View Research has stated in its report that flexible packaging is one of the fastest-growing market sections with a CAGR of 5.9% between 2018 and 2025, basically for the reaons that flexible packaging can form lighter, tighter, compact packaging which are ideal features of pre-packaged consumer goods like food products and fast-moving consumer products. Yet there are still bunches of reasons for which flexible packaging has become prevailing in consumer markets.
- One of the reasons is the growing demand for portioned packaging
For example, consumer markets are now attaching more and more preference to smaller and portioned products like meat, seafood, snacks, confectionery, and a range of ready-to-eat meals. All these market sections are considered the driving force for flexible packaging’s growth, apart from the initiatives by official authorities in the promotion of a healthy diet. [4]
Stick pack as a Flexible Packaging
Credit: ELITER Packaging Machinery
- Consumer behaviors have chosen the flexible packaging
A relentless hardworking manager who has his spare time shopping in the grocery may have his attention drawn to pre-packaged food products in clear packaging that allows product views inside. A pouch that provides a view of a wholesome trail mix rich with almonds, dried cranberries, pumpkin seeds, and walnuts is definitely better than a rigid box to catch consumer’s attention.
- Flexible packaging fits better to fresh packaged food products
Fresh meat, fruit, and vegetables, for example, tend to be loaded on a tray and then tightly wrapped by flexible film or plastics.
Flexible packaging technologies such as modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) or vacuum-sealed trays can greatly extend the shelf life of fresh food products by inhibiting the growth of bacteria and other spoilage microorganisms. The packaging also provides barrier properties that securely protect the product from external elements such as moisture, oxygen, and UV light.
Flexible Packaging MAP for fresh meat
Credit: Cgivn Studio
What are the Benefits of Flexible Packaging to Pre-Packaged Food Products?
The above content actually has mentioned one of the advantages of flexible packaging for prepackaged food products which is extending the shelf life. With modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) and other similar technologies, flexible packaging promises extended shelf life of food. Such extended freshness reduces food wastage and offers excellent value for money. It also provides better protection against factors like moisture, heat, and bacteria, ensuring the product reaches consumers in the best possible condition.
Apart from these primary benefits, flexible packaging combines the best of science and innovation to deliver a host of advantages that make it an appealing choice for manufacturers, retailers, and consumers alike and attaches value to the circular economy – that is to say – a remarkable attribute of flexible packaging is its lesser environmental footprint now that It uses fewer resources and produces less waste, making it a more sustainable choice. Manufacturing flexible packaging consumes less energy and also produces fewer greenhouse gases. Moreover, it is significantly lighter and more compact, which reduces transportation costs and fuel use, contributing further to sustainability.
Consumer Convenience and Portability is another factor to mention. Flexible packaging heralds ease and convenience. Be it easy-open tear notches or resealable closures, they make for ease of access and use. Compact and lightweight, flexible packages are easy to carry and store, combining portability with usability, giving them an outstanding edge in consumer convenience.
Flexible packaging affects consumers’ decisions to purchase. Dickson & Alan stated in their study that smaller packaged flexible packaging products usually appear to be bargained at lower prices and make the product readily affordable to a greater percentage of the population compared to larger rigid packages. Such a fact shifts consumer’s perception and turn out to be of key importance in terms of driving forces for sales.
Flexible & Rigid Packaging: What are the Differences, Pros and Cons?
Both flexible and rigid packaging provide protection for products during transit, storage, retail, and at home and serve barrier against external factors which is the property that they share in common. [5] However, except for such a characteristic in common, they are often referred to as totally different two styles of packaging and vary a lot in the rest facts.
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What is Rigid Packaging?
Rigid packaging refers to high-stiffness packaging materials that retain their form regardless of the products they contain. Some examples of rigid packaging could be plastic containers, glass bottles, metal cans, and cardboard boxes. Rigit packaging offers a high level of protection since it is known for its strength and durability, and is primarily used when a stiff and firm packaging solution is required, a fact that makes it a preferred option for CPGs and food products to keep them safe and fresh, and to provide either tamper-proof or to extend shelf life.
We have as follows an example of a gable box that is commonly used for confectionary like cakes, sweets, and biscuits.
Gable Box as an Example of Rigid Packaging
Credit: ELITER Packaging Machinery
Advantages of Rigid Packaging:
- Durability: Rigid packaging has its name granted for its strength and sturdiness now that it provides superior protection against external factors like crashes, shocks, squeezing, and pressures, so as to ensure the products within are safe all along the supply chain.
- Shape Retention: Unlike flexible packaging, rigid packaging can maintain its shape even under pressure – such an edge it has over the latter ensures the visual appeal of the product and facilitates stacking and storage, making it efficient for both retail display and distribution.
- Barrier Protection: Rigid packaging generally offers superior barrier properties against moisture, gas, and light.
Disadvantages of Rigid Packaging:
- Size and Weight: Rigid packaging tends to be bulkier and heavier than flexible alternatives, which can increase transportation costs and carbon footprint. For example, a corrugated box is definitely more dense in texture than a flexible pouch.
- Cost: Riding packaging tends to use solid and dense materials and thus may lead to more cost in packaging.
- Limited Flexibility: Rigid packaging, just as its name suggests, is always rigid in packaging shape. For example, a carton box, no matter how the design may vary, always follows a pattern of being made as a six-sided cuboid or cuboid object.
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What is Flexible Food Packaging?
Although we have introduced the concept of flexible food packaging previously, to reiterate briefly:
“Flexible packaging in the food industry refers to non-rigid packaging structures that can easily change shape when filled with products or under pressure. This may include bags, pouches, sachets, wraps, and other forms of packaging made from easily yielding materials such as plastic, aluminum, or paper. These materials can readily conform to the shape of the product being packaged. Flexible packaging is often used for food products, retail, and pharmaceuticals due to their lightweight nature, lower material use, and high convenience factor.”
Flow-Wrapped Chocolate Bars as Flexible Packaging
Credit: ELITER Packaging Machinery
Advantages of Flexible Packaging:
- Lightweight: Flexible packaging is significantly lighter than its rigid counterpart, reducing transportation cost and carbon footprint.
- Economical: Due to its lightweight nature and less material usage, flexible packaging is often less expensive to produce and distribute.
- Marketing Potential: It can be made to be clear or opaque for product visibility and aesthetic appeal, respectively.
Disadvantages of Flexible Packaging:
- Durability: Although technology improvements are making flexible packaging more rugged, it generally doesn’t offer as much protection from physical damage as rigid packaging.
- Perceived Value: Sometimes, people associate the rigidity of the package with the quality of the product inside, potentially undermining the perceived value of flexibly packaged products.
Bibliography
- [1] How consumers estimate the size and appeal of flexible packaging, Solomon A. Makanjuola, Victor N. Enujiugha, Department of Food Science and Technology,
- [2] Towards a circular plastics economy: Interacting barriers and contested solutions for flexible packaging recycling, Catharina R. Bening *, Jakob T. Pruess, Nicola U. Blum, Swiss Federal Institute of Technology Zurich (ETHZ), Weinbergstrasse 56/58, 8092,
- [3] Food packaging market: Rise of flexible packaging to drive market growth, Tejvir Singh, Sept. 15, 2018, Processing Magazine, https://www.processingmagazine.com/home/article/15587514/food-packaging-market-rise-of-flexible-packaging-to-drive-market-growth
- [4] Flexible Package, Science Direct https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/engineering/flexible-package
- [5] The Difference Between Rigid and Flexible Packaging, U.S. Packaging & Wrapping LLC, https://uspackagingandwrapping.com/blog/the-difference-between-rigid-and-flexible-packaging.html
