Over 90% of purchased products in modern stores are offered in a packed form. You’ll hardly find an unpacked product on store shelves.
Depending on the type of the packed product, different types of wrappers are chosen. For example, when wrapping frozen products, covers must be resistant to temperature extremes, while packages for snacks must prevent them from cracking. Below, we’re going to consider the specifics of packing bakery products.
The variety of baked products packaging is great, due to which any manufacturer will be able to select a suitable type of cover for his product:
- transparent films for wrapping cookies;
- plastic bags for white bread and bread;
- boxes for cookies;
- plastic containers for cakes;
- pouches for baked snacks.
When comparing flexible covers to traditional methods, the first option is superior since it possesses better physical properties, that is, has enhanced resistance to aggressors, features compactness and ease of transportation, has higher usability characteristics, which improves consumer loyalty, etc.
Specifics of Packing Bakery
When dealing with baked food and choosing a suitable wrapper, it is important to take into account its physical properties. Thus, the choice of an appropriate cover starts from the consideration of what properties it is necessary to preserve and from what factors to protect the content. High-quality bakery packages should possess the following features:
- has high barrier properties for protection from moisture;
- prevent rancidity and swelling;
- preserve product freshness throughout the shelf life and avoid staling;
- prevent contamination with dust and other debris from the environment.
Judging by these criteria, flexible packages satisfy all points and guarantee reliable protection and service throughout their shelf life. Yet, it is just a part of all the strengths that such covers give. Below, you’ll find more pros of these wrappers.
Benefits of Flexible Packaging for Bakery
Finally, let’s mention what advantages of flexible packaging determine its wide application. Producers give preference to this type of cover due to the following features:
- Sustainability. The regarded type of wrappers is considered eco-friendly since most types of covers are recyclable or biodegradable. Today, eco-activists put their effort into attracting the attention of consumers and manufacturers to the issue of Earth contamination. Switching to flexible wrappers provides opportunities for repeated use and recycling of some containers. For instance, mono PP and PE structures can be recycled, which reduces the negative impact of packaging on the environment.
- Cost-effectiveness. Less material and natural resources are required for flexible wrapper production. Enhanced technology allows for using natural resources more effectively and reducing the level of energy consumption. These points reduced the cost of wrappers significantly. Another aspect of cost-effectiveness implies saving on transportation and storage costs. Such wrappers are compact and flexible, thus, they take less space during shipment and require less place for storage, which allows businesses to save extra money.
- Enhancing food safety and shelf life. As mentioned above, such packages provide all the barrier properties to preserve the freshness and safety of the content. By creating optimal storage conditions, it is possible to prolong product shelf life and prevent staling or losing taste and nutritional properties.
- Consumer convenience. Flexible packages have multiple solutions for improving consumer convenience when selecting, using, and carrying food. For instance, the use of transparent packages allows for observing the product and assessing its condition quality.
Besides, modern wrappers serve as a powerful marketing tool. By developing an appropriate design of the cover, marketers manage consumer behavior, urge them to buy particular products, and communicate with customers. Thus, due attention is also paid to applying logos, images, and info on wrappers to achieve the desired effect.
Bakery is one of the sensitive categories of food since products are vulnerable to environmental impacts. Thus, they need proper protection from external aggressors. Flexible covers provide a sufficient level of protection and guarantee the preservation of taste, aroma, and nutritional properties. Such packages are also preferable due to their sustainability and cost-effectiveness, which makes them favorable for all sides of the consumption process.