Securely packed is the priority

"Bags containing pet food or cat litter must be capable of being carried by the customer unaided to the car, of being opened easily at home and of keeping the product fresh for a long period," is how packaging manufacturers summarise the key features demanded of packaging products. So have the times gone when customers carted bags under their arm across the car park, running the risk of dropping the bag and in the worst case of this even tearing open and spilling its expensive contents across the ground? "Thanks to special grip and carry handles and sturdier materials, we can almost completely rule out this worst-case scenario," reports the manufacturer Nordfolien.But convenience begins on the shelf, well before the purchase is made. Printing of the bag base is one example of this, a practice adopted by Swedish manufacturer Bozita among others when its packaging layout was changed. This means that retailers can lay the bags on the shelf unit and the customer can study the product without having to drag the bag off it. For bags weighing over five kilograms, this approach is becoming increasingly popular. In the case of smaller packs, on the other hand, manufacturers are focusing more on producing bags that stand up securely on shelving and are not prone to the "domino effect", resulting in them tumbling off the shelf. Convenience for retailers too, therefore, making it easier for them to keep their stores clean and tidy.Protecting environment and climateThe imperatives of environmental and climate protection have not gone unnoticed by packaging manufacturers in the last few years. Many suppliers started out tentatively in this respect, but their efforts have acquired more urgency as time has gone on. For instance, the "Tetra Recart" packaging (see report in this issue) used by Bozita for moist food for dogs and cats is excellent for saving space in transportation and storage and also when it comes to disposal. Floeter Flexibles has also concentrated on compactness and has developed a new stand-up pouch that should guarantee 20 per cent higher utilisation of the existing shelf space at the POS with the same product fill quantity. The company reports that this is made possible by an "optimised sealed seam". In addition, retortable pouches generate approx. 86 per cent less weight and take up 93 per cent less storage and transport space than tin cans, as well as being considerably easier to dispose of.Nordfolien is one company adopting a modern method of…