Advantages of Flexible Packaging In The Food Industry
Flexible packaging for food retailers
The good thing about flexible packaging could be a question for several retailers and a spokesperson in the food value chain. Innovations in flexible packaging have emerged from a complicated balance between performance, weight, convenience, cost, recyclability and sustainability. However, many companies and buyers are experiencing the durability and lower environmental impact of flexible packaging materials for food packaging.
The love-hate relationship surrounding plastic packaging has received intense support from buyers, industry and the environment, and has led to drastic changes in the production and sale of food products. However, what some are already realizing, and haven’t even realized yet, is that flexible packaging (some plastic formulations notwithstanding) is one of the most sustainable forms of food packaging today.
Flexible packaging films leave behind sensitive food packaging that can reduce energy consumption, raw material consumption and greenhouse gas emissions during food transportation. In addition to the different types of flexible films, there are different types of flexible packaging for food distribution, such as flexible bags, skin packs, casings, MAP (Modified Atmosphere Packaging) and various flexible packaging materials.
So, no hassle, let’s explore the five best flexible packaging edges for the food retail industry!
1. Unique design and improved communication with consumers
The clarity of the flexible packaging formats offers the possibility of including communication elements on the quality and status of the product in food packaging. Therefore, retailers will provide buyers with expiration dates, product nutritional value (recipe, ingredient, and proper preparation), shelf life, and disposal information. And unlike most rigid packaging, these components can be written directly onto the surface of bound flexible packaging materials (for example, flexible bags).
Flexible packaging helps retailers use visually appealing graphics on food packaging to display messages that encourage green attitudes and home shopping habits. These flexible packaging shapes and formats provide the buyer with important information at all times and therefore the envy of the industry for ready-to-sell food packaging.
2. Increase food safety and food hygiene
From physical grocery stores to online grocery stores, the value chain includes touch points with a high risk of product failure or contamination before grocery products reach retail stores. Flexible packaging ensures food safety and hygiene at these points of contact to protect public health. Flexible packaging provides protection for sensitive skin as soon as it is dropped off the shelves or upgraded with non-food items in retail.
Food contamination could be one of the leading causes of death. Flexible packaging implies the possible development of maladies of origin food and risks for the sake of ototoxic dangers or contamination of physique that are insects and rumors, even if unhealthy handling of food is retail trade and all at a fraction of the value of rigid packaging. Flexible packaging protects food from innate reflexes or coughing on food shelves. At the same time, grocery shoppers can even see and bite into food while browsing retail stores without the risk of food contamination.
3. Generate more e-commerce activity
Many buyers live and do business from home. Now they also hope that they are ready to continue looking for food at home. Flexible packaging formats for e-commerce trends are essential for economical food delivery during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is especially true considering the greater amount of product that can be shipped on a flex packed trailer compared to rigid alternatives. Since flexible packaging takes up much less space, you will have to deal with additional products compared to rigid when towing with flexible packaging materials.
Consumers turn to online supermarkets for their home or office organic process needs while browsing older grocery stores without worrying about spills or damage once their order arrives. Online food search offers a broader product display, comparison and selection than brick-and-mortar stores for all types of food (smoked, cooked, frozen, or fresh).
Innovations and flexible packaging formats are the driving force behind this new type of meeting between retailers and, therefore, end customers. This could translate into opportunities to expand market share, gain a competitive advantage, and generate sales and profits for multiple retail stores.
Retailers can even use flexible packaging for distinctive styles, shapes, and sizes to scale the market and target specific shoppers, especially young shoppers with additional expenses, ever-changing shopper behavior, and sales, life, work, and research models. Online grocery retail is expected to increase in various regions and countries, while international online grocery sales are expected to triple by 2023.
4. Convenience and smart retailing
These days, people live in a busy way as they mix work, family, and personal commitments. Retailers play an important role in supporting the food value chain by providing convenience tailored to the lifestyle of grocery shoppers and helping reduce food and plastic waste. The convenience component increases resilience and helps retailers avoid on-site packaging and a complete supply chain. This improves sales processing, warehousing, logistics, and sales by allowing retailers to display their groceries so that shoppers can purchase food from retail stores in small, easy-to-use formats.
In this way, you can go shopping and thus relocate food without overloading your existing storage capacities.
