Basic function of packaging

• Four primary and interconnected functions of packaging

have been identified:

containment
protection
convenience, and
communication.
 Cont….
Containment

 Food products must be controlled before they can be moved

from one place to another.

 It depends on the product’s physical form and nature

 The containment function of packaging makes a huge

contribution to protecting the environment from the many of
products that are moved from one place to another on
numerous occasions each day
 Cont…..
Protection

 This is often regarded as the primary function of the package:

 To protect its contents from the out-side environmental effects

of water, water vapor, gases, odors, microorganisms, dust,
shocks, vibrations, compressive forces, and so on.

 For the majority of food products, the protection afforded by

the package is an essential part of the preservation process.
 Cont…..
Convenience

Modern, industrialized societies have seen

tremendous changes in lifestyle, and

the packaging industry has had to respond to those

changes, which have created a demand for greater
convenience in household products:
 Cont….
 foods that are pre-prepared and can be cooked or reheated in a
very short time,

 preferably without removing them from the package;

 condiments that can be applied simply or by means of pump-action

packages;
 reclosable openings on drink bottles to permit consumption on the go;
and so on.
• Thus, packaging plays an important role in allowing
products to be used conveniently.
 Cont….
Communication

 Consumers make purchasing decisions using the

numerous clues provided by the graphics and the
distinctive shapes of the packaging.

» Name of the product

» The manufacturer’s or distributor’s name and address
» The weight of the product
» Ingredients (listed according to amount, from highest to lowest)
 Cont…..
» Number of servings per product, and serving size
» Nutritional facts
» Total fat (saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, sugar, dietary fiber,
protein, carbohydrates)
» Any artificial flavor or preservative added
» “Best before” date indication

• The principal roles of packaging are to contain,

protect/preserve food and inform the user.
 Packaging design and development
• Marketing pull is a pre-requisite to successful innovation in
packaging materials, forms, designs or processes.

• Ideally, package design and distribution should be considered at

the product concept stage.

• Product failure in the marketplace due to inadequate protective

packaging can be very costly to rectify

• It is necessary to consider packs are produced

 for their marketability
 for their physical distribution practicability
 Cont….
• Packaging components need to be carefully
planned with suppliers at an early stage in order to
ensure a realistic time plan.
• Packaging should be considered as part of the
process of product manufacturing and distribution
 Cont……
Product needs

 The product and its package should be considered together

 To design and development of appropriate packaging the following

are essential:
 understanding of a product’s characteristics,
 the intrinsic mechanism(s) by which it can deteriorate,
 its fragility in distribution and possible interactions with packaging materials i.e.
compatibility
 Cont…..
• The greater the value of the product, the higher is
the likely investment in packaging to limit product
damage or spoilage i.e. there is an optimum level of
packaging.
 Cont….
Distribution needs and wants of packaging
• Distribution may be defined as the journey of the pack
from the point of filling to the point of end use

• A thorough understanding of the distribution system is

fundamental for designing cost-effective packaging

 that provides the appropriate degree of protection to the

product and is acceptable to the user(s).
 Cont….
• The three distribution environments are climatic, physical
and biological.
• Failure to properly consider these distribution environments
will result
 in poorly designed packages,
 increased costs,
 consumer complaints and even avoidance by the
customer.
 Cont….
• Other factors that need to be considered when designing
packaging for distribution purposes include,
convenience in storage and display,
ease of handling,
clearly identifiable and secure.
 Cont……
Packaging materials, machinery and production processes

• Packaging is constantly changing with the introduction

of new materials, technology and processes

• A change in packaging materials, however, may have

implications for consumer acceptance.

• Most packaging operations in food manufacturing

businesses are automatic or semi-automatic operations
 Cont…..
• Packaging machinery is set up to run with a
particular type of packaging material and

• even minor changes in the material can lead to

problems with machine performance.
 Cont……
• The introduction of new packaging materials and
new designs must be managed with care.

• New designs may require minor or major machine

modification that will add direct costs in retooled
parts
 Cont……
Consumer needs and wants of packaging

• Packaging should accurately reflect product quality/brand values

 in order to avoid consumer disappointment and encourage repeat

purchase and build brand loyalty.

• Packaging is critical to a consumer’s first impression of a product,

communicating desirability, acceptability, healthy eating image etc.
 Cont….
• Packaging provides the consumer with important
information about the product and, in many cases, use of
the pack and/or product

• These include facts such as

 weight,
 volume,
 ingredients,
 the manufacturer’s details,
 nutritional value, cooking and opening instructions.
 Cont……
• Consumers are seeking more detailed information about products
and, at the same time, many labels have become multilingual (using
several languages).

• A major driver of food choice and packaging innovation is the

consumer demand for convenience.

– ease of access and opening

– disposal and handling
– product visibility,
– resealability
– microwaveability
– prolonged shelf life etc.
 Cont…..
Environmental performance of packaging

• An important strategic issue facing the food industry

is the political and public pressure over the
environment,

• particularly in relation to concerns over the amount

of packaging and packaging waste.
 Cont…..
• For over a decade, packaging and packaging waste
have been the focus of attention from politicians as
a result of pressure from the public, media and
environmental pressure groups.
 Summary
 Packaging is a means of ensuring safe delivery to the
ultimate consumer in sound condition at optimum
cost.

 The Four primary and interconnected functions of

packaging are:
containment
protection
convenience, and
communication.
 Cont….
• During packaging design it should consider:
– Product needs
– Distribution needs and wants of packaging
– Packaging materials, machinery and production
processes
– Consumer needs and wants of packaging
– Environmental performance of packaging