As the retail sector offers an increasing array of products and brands, clarity - in every sense of the word - is becoming an increasing requirement for consumers. What should they choose and why? Within meat trays there is a clear trend towards transparent trays.

The consumer wants to judge the quality of the meat without having to squint through a sleeve or a label. With transparent trays, the cut of meat can be viewed from all sides and the consumer can decide for himself whether it passes their scrutiny before buying. The transparent tray signals an honest product. As transparent materials such as PP and APET gain acceptance in preference to EPS trays, European producers are starting to realise the significance of this. Farch Plast has developed MAPET, which has the same excellent barrier qualities and transparency as APET. MAPET has been specially developed for use as fresh meat packaging, which places particular demands in terms of sealability.

Often during the production process meat juices soil the edges of the tray, making it difficult to achieve good sealing. If the sealing is not secure, the meat juices may leak from the tray and on to the cold counter, rendering the product less saleable and reducing its shelf life. PP material also has good barrier qualities and while it is not as transparent as MAPET, it is a less expensive alternative. A modern meat tray There is an increasing trend towards centralised packaging facilities. This changing, evolving method of distribution makes different demands in terms of the quality of meat trays. In addition to preserving the contents, a modern meat tray should take up as little space as possible, both on the cold counter and during storage/transport.

This requires an optimal combination of stacking ability, thickness of material and tray profiles. At the same time, tolerances must be minimal in order to ensure a smooth production process. Any stoppage in packaging production lines is costly and therefore trays must all be of a high, uniform quality. Many retail outlets, still pack fresh meat in-store that often produces a jumbled looking cold counter with meat trays of different colours, sizes and materials.

Faerch Plast's MD Jens Bornstein comments: "The packaging of fresh meat has undergone many changes in Europe. Previously, the local butcher would pack his cuts of meat himself. Today the picture is much more varied. Some meat is wrapped in-store, while other meat is flow-packed or top-sealed in centralised packaging facilities. The consumer rarely expresses a strong opinion about it. All that matters to the consumer is that the product is fresh and looks appetising. This is why we produce a wide tray range in all types of materials.

This enables products to be packed in similar trays regardless of whether the meat is locally or centrally packaged and thus ensures good exposure. At the same time, we also supply transparent PP and MAPET in order to meet the consumers' desire to see what they are buying." "With the trend towards fewer and fewer large retail chains, the price of fresh meat has come under growing pressure. This means an increased focus on costs and producers have begun to look at ways of differentiating themselves. In this respect, packaging could well come to play an increasingly important role," concludes Managing Director Jens Bornstein. Picture: The trend is towards meat trays with the clarity of glass. Consumers want a good look at what they are buying before they buy it.