You don't have to work for a major packaging company to know that consumers care about quality. A recent study conducted by Ipsos InnoQuest, however, goes into more detail about what exactly people are looking for in their plastic packaging—and here at PI, their answers come as no surprise. This global study reveals that the majority of consumers would actually pay more for a product if it came in "packaging that keeps food fresh long" or "is environmentally friendly." In our experience, those things can actually go hand-in-hand, creating a superior product that's also more eco-friendly.
According to the annual Foodservice Packaging Institute "State of the Industry Survey," food packaging companies could see some growth—most foodservice packaging manufacturers in North America predict higher sales volumes and higher profits over the course of the rest of the year [ref]http://www.packworld.com/applications/food/optimism-foodservice-packaging-sector[/ref] That doesn't mean things are perfect, though, as manufacturers in both North America and Europe face hurdles to realizing this growth, as described in this survey. When confronted with data like this, you have to ask yourself: How can we improve our packaging solutions?
This month started with an exciting announcement in the plastic packaging world, and it came straight from the red, white and blue—no, the other red, white and blue: Pepsi. PepsiCo Inc. announced that for the first time in 16 years, it's changing its bottle design. Despite changes to the logo, the soda has come in the same bottle since 1997. So what does the sudden, drastic redesign tell us about the product packaging industry in general?
Like so many of the plastics we work with here at PI, High Impact Polystyrene, or HIPS, is something that a great deal of people encounter almost every single day. Clear, brittle and impact-resistant, this amorphous material has a low shrink rate and is safe enough to use in different food-related applications.
PET plastics are popular for plenty of reasons, not the least of which is their clarity—remember, this is a plastic that you use when you want to show off your product. If you don't necessarily need something transparent, but you want something strong and resilient, CPET could be exactly what you're looking for.
Once you get past the basic types of PET plastics, you get into the modified copolymers—these are PET plastics that have been treated with something that changes its structure. Today, I want to introduce PETG plastic, otherwise known as polyethylene terephthalate - glycol modified.
From our last blog post, you now know a little about polyethylene terephthalates, or PET plastics. You know that this type of plastic is a staple in food and beverage packaging. It's also used in the packaging of plenty of other products, though not necessarily ones you want to eat or drink—PET is a mainstay for packaging things like cosmetics and cleaning chemicals. Just look at the recycling code on any PET plastic package, and you'll see: It's number one.
For those in the food industry, whether you're a producer, trader or distributor, having the right certification can have a significant impact on your business. One often used certification in the food business is SQF – a certification program administered by the Safe Quality Food Institute. This program is an all-inclusive "food safety and quality management certification system" and can be applied to everyone in the food industry from farmers to those in the packaging solutions business.
When taking into account plastic packaging types, it's important to think about what kind of material you're using. The proper plastic can serve as a secure and valuable solution for your business needs, but there's more the right plastic can offer.
