The trends that govern the design of the labels that appear on food packages as well as the requirements regarding their quality and their chemical composition are in constant change – here are the most important issues in the food packaging industry that can influence the market success of food products right now.
Sustainability
Consumer choices are increasingly governed by aspects of environmental awareness – more and more people pay attention not only to the quality of the food they buy, but also to the quality of the package that their products come in, preferring products packaged in sustainable materials. These preferences have brought about significant changes in the manufacturing technologies used for making food packaging materials, shifting focus from traditional plastic wraps to biodegradable or recyclable materials.
Changes in the Role Played by Food Packaging
Traditionally, the role of the packaging used for containing food products was only to preserve the food fresh and unharmed by pathogens, by the exposure to moisture, air or physical impact for a pre-defined period, thus increasing food safety and extending the product’s shelf life. Nowadays food packages play a much more complex and informative role as well. The package of the food is the primary source of information used by the customer not only to find out about nutrition values, cooking recommendations, information about ingredients and potential allergens, but also about the ingredients and the technologies used for manufacturing the packaging. The packaging materials used for containing food products need to fulfil very strict safety and health requirements and they need to make the information regarding compliance readily available to the buyer.
Increased Resistance and Reduced Weight
Food marketers are no longer limited by space – they can sell their products to clients in remote locations or even globally. To be able to achieve a much wider presence, food manufacturers and marketers need packaging solutions that offer enhanced protection for their products during the long journeys from the factory to the end user and this demand has also influenced the materials used by the food packaging industry. What food marketers are also looking with their product packages is a way to reduce transport costs and one of the most common ways to achieve cheaper shipping is by reducing the weight of the packaging material, but without compromising the level of protection offered.
Aspects Related to Marketing
The technologies used in the food packaging industry are also changing to accommodate design-related aspects. The food market is a highly competitive segment and food marketers have recognized that they can use the packaging they wrap their products into to obtain a competitive advantage. Creative design that uses strategically chosen, attractive colors, unusual package shapes that attract the attention of the customer to the product sitting on the shelf and convenient solutions that make access, usage and disposal safer and easier are all aspects that have motivated important changes in industrial design.
The above issues in the food packaging industry have brought about considerable changes in the way food packaging is designed and printed and they are likely to inform many changes in the future as well – we are surely in for some great designs and materials. There are great options from companies that offer flexible packaging with success stories for their clients in the food industry.
