There are many things that need thinking about when the right food packaging is being chosen. There are legal, practical, safety and cost issues to consider.
Packaging needs to offer protection, although the specific factors are dependent on the product. The product needs to be held within the packaging, for example in cannot leak. It can’t rip or break easily so needs to be strong enough, and might need to protect against temperature.
Food has to be labeled by law, although again the specific laws vary between different items. Below is the information that may need to be included on labeling:
Name of the product
Ingredients
Nutritional information
Instructions for use
Storage conditions
Place of origin
Warnings
Best before date
Use by date
Some types of products need to be child protected so they cannot be easily opened by children. This means certain items may have safety mechanisms. Whatever the product the safety of the packaging itself must be considered; for example it can’t be too sharp so it is easy for it to cause injury. The packaging must also not impact the safety of the food negatively, so it cannot contaminate the product, for example ink leakage into the food must be avoided.
Distribution needs to be taken into consideration when packaging so products are easier to distribute. This can not only save on work but, in the long run, can save on costs.
The way that food looks in its packaging is important to retailers. They obviously want to sell as much as possible and packaging can be used as a marketing tool to make it seem appealing.
Like everything in business, cost always needs to be thought about. The cheaper packaging is the better, but all the above factors also need considering. Packaging needs to be affordable so a decent profit can be made post-sale.
Different types of food need different types of packaging. Below are some examples.
