Sustainable Plastics - September/October 2022 - 14

packaging
Packaging innovation is
key to fighting food waste
Consumers demand it, brands want it, and own brands are not too far behind. And
yet despite the increased importance of reclosing for flexible packaging, it is often an
afterthought. By Ian Beresford.
RecClose
tape
environmental, and economic
consequences that will only become
more critical as our global
population grows.
The United Nations Food and
Agriculture Organization (UN
FAO) estimates that wasted
food accounts for 1.3 billion of
the 6 billion metric tons of edible
food produced across the
globe every year.
Beyond the increasing simS
o
much goes into
the design of a pack,
shelf appeal and
graphics. However,
when it comes to reclosing, often
a very simple 10mm zip is
chosen because it is too late to
factor in anything else.
Can I get into the pack? Can I
reclose it? If either of those elements
is problematic, then it can
be a major source of consumer
frustration, which translates into
lost brand value. Add to that the
opportunity to reduce food waste
offered by improved and optimised
packaging design and so
much competitive advantage is
effectively being left on the table.
Packaging drives powerful
emotional responses. These
range from the frustration resulting
from having to cut open
a bag to the inability of reusing
the pack to store unused food.
Consumers gain confidence
from seeing a seal that guarantees
the product had been
unused and sense relief when
packaging is easy to use.
Flexible packaging has established
a dominant position
within the food and beverage
sector. This is because it is extremely
versatile and can pack
a multitude of products. The way
food is packaged and marketed
is constantly changing, thanks
in part to consumer trends, the
goal of packaging sustainability
and the never-ending fight to reduce
food waste. This has resulted
in a wide variety of enhancements
that continue to evolve.
If it doesn't add value,
it's a waste
Across the world, the problem of
food waste is getting attention-
and for good reason. Food waste
is an issue of enormous scale,
with devastating humanitarian,
Packaging with
ReClose tape
plicity of integrating reclosable
packaging into production
lines, another reason brands
and manufacturers may be interested
in making the shift to
resealability lies in the growing
consumer demand for companies
to show environmental
responsibility. Decreasing food
waste is a key way for any brand
to reduce its carbon footprint.
Resealable packaging provides
a myriad of benefits in that
regard, including the extension
of shelf life, reduction in spillages,
retention of nutritional value
and freshness of the product,
ingress of flavours, prevention of
further product contamination,
consumer convenience, controlled
dispensing and pouring,
allowance for multiple uses of
the same pack and easy storage.
Reclosable options eliminate
waste by allowing the consumer
to use portions they are sure
will still be fresh when they
come back to the product. It also
eliminates the need to decant
the contents into an alternative
container and it gives brands a
valuable opportunity to maintain
visualisation throughout the lifecycle
of the product.
We have all bought a pack
at the supermarket firmly sold
on the fact it can reseal itself,
but it just won't. That's a real
waste. In more ways than one.
It's a missed opportunity for
the brand, whose packaging
had little to no positive impact
on the consumer beyond the
purchase. It also adds a second
pack, cling film or bag, into the
waste stream once the product
is used up. That's another cost
to not only the consumer but
also the environment.
Reclose features
add value
The integration of a product like
Essentra's RE:CLOSE tape into
flexible packaging is becoming
increasingly popular, especially
in the fresh and snacking aisles,
thanks to the additional benefits
and the consumer convenience
it provides. It can be simply applied
to your existing production
lines and offers practical benefits
include freshness, ease of
use, sustainability, storability,
convenience, flexibility, and protection.
What's more, consumers
indicate that they are willing to
pay more for these benefits.
The business case for reclose
features are brand and product
specific. Investment in an optimal
reseal feature drives sales
or may simply be required for
category entry.
As food prices rise, reclosable
features migrate from high-value
goods to lower-value products.
Creating a pack in a way
that can be resealed easily and
effectively helps prevent food
waste and alleviates environmental
impacts. Communicating
the storage and freshness
advantages with a reclose feature
also increases brand value.
Keeping pace with consumer
needs and their desires is a
continual challenge, but effective
reclose features are one
way that packaging can both
prevent food waste and gain
consumer market share.
Ian Beresford is Head of
Marketing and Development at
Essentra Tapes.
Sustainable Plastics - September/October 2022

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