Flexible Packaging Continues To Expand

By Noel Ward

Even a casual cruise of supermarkets, convenience stores, pharmacies, auto parts retailers, and club stores shows some of the changes that are afoot in flexible packaging. And it is not simply that more products are showing up in flexible containers, but that those containers are replacing glass, rigid plastic bottles and folding cartons. This is driven by cost factors, ease of use by consumers, pressure from large retailers, and brand owners' desires to deliver shelf appeal and drive the moment of truth. And it's a trend that's likely to continue.

"There's been a minor eruption of new structures like standup pouches and flexible containers with new types of closures," says Kevin Karstedt, founder and CEO of Karstedt Partners. "These are targeting the conventional containers and offer advantages beyond simply holding the product."

Perhaps the greatest advantages are weight and size. When comparing the weight of a container to the volume of product it can contain, flexible packaging comes out ahead of other containers while offering a degree of simplicity and ease of use. Baking mixes, for example, could easily switch from folding cartons and plastic liners to a standup pouch (SUP) with an easy-open feature. Brand owners like the modern, upscale look a SUP can offer and busy consumers appreciate the convenience, especially given the rapid growth of single-serve portions.

"There are a lot of single people out there, plus married people who eat meals alone, and kids who need a just single serving of a favorite food," says Bob Leahey, Associate Director at InfoTrends. "Personal-size servings are a natural fit for flexible packages." At the same time, larger packages that used to be boxed, such as frozen vegetables, now come in flexible bags with reusable closures that make smaller serving sizes easier to manage with less likelihood of waste.

Many other products, from sauces and salad dressings to wine, juices and other beverages now reside on store shelves in colorful SUP containers. And it's not limited to food. Flexible containers for lubricants and cleaning products are replacing rigid containers in hardware, marine and auto parts stores. Brand owners appreciate that flexible containers are less expensive to produce, fill, and transport than cartons or rigid bottles. Retailers see advantages, too: where possible, big players like Walmart are requiring companies to use flexible packaging and to deliver the soft containers in cardboard boxes ready for sale. The savings come in shipping and stock-keeping labor.

New Materials

Flexible containers often use a complex laminate of films that are converted into a container. But this may be due to change. "There is a steady move towards a range of 'universal substrates' that could replace the laminated ones used today," says Dr. Eldridge Mount of EMMOUNT Technologies, a consulting and training company serving the polymer processing, and film converting industries. According to Mount, such extruded substrates (possibly with organic origins) would be able to handle a wider range of temperatures—important for sealing—and also reduce the complexity of laminating multiple materials together. Viable universal substrates are probably some years off, but press, ink, and materials suppliers are actively pursuing this goal to simplify some of the growing demand for flexible packaging.

Such a material may also be an answer to the issues of sustainability and recyclability of flexible packaging. There is presently no viable technology for recycling existing extruded or laminated materials used in most flexible packages, giving flexible packaging a black eye in the opinion of environmentally conscious consumers. This drives the interest in a universal substrate. A vendor that is able to supply an easily recyclable material would have a clear advantage in the market.

"Something else to consider," notes Leahey, "is the shift to digital printing." He cites the new HP 20000 press, which is designed for flexible packaging and will likely intrude into the flexible space. Karstedt agrees, and also notes that there are label converters with conventional presses who see opportunity in flexible who are already doing shrink sleeves and short runs of pouches.

Flexible is perhaps the most exciting and innovative area of packaging today. It's where some of the best—and most profitable—growth is taking place and where savvy converters should be looking for new opportunities. Brands that have been wedded to folding cartons and rigid containers are looking to reduce costs and increase the visual impact their products can have on store shelves. Flexible is a compelling option. pP

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