6 Reasons Your Food Products Need Flexible Packaging
Undoubtedly, packaging plays a significant role in the food industry, preventing food contamination and extending product freshness. Over the years, as more options in food packaging have been made possible, flexible packaging is one packaging type in particular that has skyrocketed in popularity. If you’re not already using this type of packaging – or even if you are – be sure you’re in the know on six reasons it is the right choice for your food products.
- Reduced Manufacturing Costs
Flexible film, used to create the elastic-like packaging, can be tailored to the specific size of the product. As a result, you are able to use exactly the amount of materials needed for a packaging application and reduce material cost and waste.
Additionally, it allows you to simplify the components of a product by eliminating capping and labelling often needed for other packaging types. This reduces the amount of components to purchase and assemble.
Further, flexible packaging is lightweight and foldable. This allows you to ship more products when using the same amount of space as other packaging options, reducing freight and shipping charges.
2. Increased Consumer Convenience
In addition to benefiting manufacturers, flexible packaging offers a convenient “on-the-go” option for consumers’ food. Available in single-serve, right-size packaging, it takes up less room than other packaging options
It also can be easily stored for use later without needing to transfer the food contents into a different packaging container and increasing waste. Manufacturers that incorporate its resealability into their designs allow brand owners to offer enhanced packaging functionality, such as:
- Zippers
- Fitments
3. Improved Design Options
Flexible packaging’s moldable materials also present innovative design opportunities. These materials can:
- Be customized into unique shapes and sizes
- Offer enhanced visual properties, such as clarity, glossiness and printability
These improved design options enable:
- Greater shelf appeal for companies’ products on store shelves
- Increased brand recognition
4. Enhanced Manufacturing Sustainability
In addition to reducing product waste for the consumers, this type of packaging enables reduced lower carbon footprint and energy usage at the plant level.
This is because it consumes fewer resources and energy to manufacture than other options. For example, it requires less water to manufacture a stand-up flexible pouch when compared to other, traditional options.
5. Extended Product Shelf Life
By leveraging barrier materials, this type of packaging also helps protect food from environmental elements, such as sunlight, temperature and moisture. This is because it is designed to maintain appropriate temperatures and is able to control the transmission of oxygen, carbon dioxide, ethylene and water vapors.
As a result, perishable food products properly stored within this type of packaging are able to stay fresh for longer.
6. Ensured Food Safety
Flexible packaging also plays a significant role in the food safety. Food that is fatty and aqueous tend to pull chemicals from the packaging due to its composition. Fortunately, with certain materials, the likelihood of chemical migration decreases.
Flexible Packaging Adhesives
While flexible packaging enables improved processes and optimized end-use packaging, it’s important to consider the role adhesives play in making it possible.
Committed to sustainable development and consumer safety, Bostik offers a GLYMO-free array of one and two-component laminating polyurethane (PU) adhesives for food packaging. Offering good retort performance and heat peel resistance, these products are free of epoxy silanes such as GLYMO, BPA (bisphenol A), epoxy resins, phthalate plasticizers, o-phthalic acid or tin compounds.
At Bostik, we are committed to providing the best quality of adhesives for your flexible packaging. Our GLYMO-free adhesives comply with the FDA regulations and enhance flexible packaging capabilities.
Have questions? Contact [email protected] today.
If you are keen to learn more about this type of packaging, check out the following: