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About Food and Beverage Packaging
Food and beverage packaging is, whether want to admit it or not, one of the primary factors that contributes to our safety and well-being. Without adequate foodstuff packaging, most comestibles would be continuously exposed to pathogens and non-biological materials. Packaging ensures that food remains as free of contaminants as possible - that it is protected from exterior invasion leading to accelerated putrefaction, fermentation, or nutrient degradation. Case in point: the pasteurization of milk renders it for all intents and purposes bacteria-free yet without a suitable container, it's shelf-life would only be extended a little. With sterile packaging, milk can be stored without refrigeration for anywhere between 1 and 10 months, depending upon the paseurization technique.
Sturdy packages also protects food from physical assault that might result in breakage, distortion, or crushing, though admittedly, this consideration speaks more to the aesthetic presentation of prepared food. With over 65% of the world's packaging dedicated to food and beverages, the packaging industry needs to keep its victual sector at the forefront of innovation and technology, as consumers grow more and more demanding of freshness, quality, and presentation.
So, what’s happening in food and beverage packaging right now?
Consumers like to consume - that’s what we do. The world, however, is trying to recover from a crippling recession. Has that changed our habits? Well, we seem to consume just about the same amount as before, but we're looking for cheaper alternatives. There's a growing tendency emerging where most consumers will purchase the same amount of products but select less expensive brands, or purchase several products of a less expensive type than items that cost more (think of five boxes of macaroni and cheese compared to one prepared entrée). We also seem to be purchasing more products for consumption at home, rather than in bars, cafes and restaurants (microwave popcorn, bottled soda and a movie rental/download rather than an evening out at the cinema).
Really, the food and beverage packaging market, though certainly not "recession-proof", has suffered comparatively little compared to other packaging sectors - everybody needs to eat.
Supermarkets are catering to these trends by offering cheaper generic brands or store-label products. That’s not to say there still isn't a thriving luxury food and beverage market - it’s just becoming a more exclusive club right now. Premium products have lost a bit of ground, but masstige products (premium products at a discount or staple products sold as premium) have gained.
Apart from being choosier with products (a direct result of having to be more fastidious with regard to balancing household budgets), the consumer is also becoming more and more environmentally savvy - recycling is the norm in many households these days. The consumer is beginning to understand how the weight of a pack can affect its environmental impact through the CO2 emissions required to transport it. Efficient and lightweight materials are becoming ever more necessary as the planet's resources are squeezed. Even if a material is highly recyclable, it still needs to be shipped, so "less is more" in this respect. Creating the perfect pack that protects and preserves our food and drink yet respects Mother Nature is the ultimate quest, right now.
Packaging companies should, however, be aware that consumers are also on the alert for "greenwashing". It's not enough simply to print an interesting seal or image on a pack that indicates environmental friendliness, the claim will have to be supported somehow, on a corporate website or on the pack itself. Companies seeking to woo new customers by evincing environmental concern without actually espousing the ideology will probably have their efforts backfire. "Don't talk the talk if you can't walk the walk."
Sage advice for anything, really.
"Packaging companies should be aware that consumers are on the alert for 'greenwashing'."
"Food and beverage packaging accounts for 65% of the total packaging sold in the world today."
