In an increasingly disposable world, the need for eco-friendly and sustainable everyday packaging is more important than ever. According to market research firm IRI, by 2021 consumers will pay more attention to sustainable packaging than any other factor, including product quality and price range.
Packaging is responsible for around a tenth of the total environmental impact of a product, so removing as much plastic as possible from our everyday lives is essential. As well as making everyday life more sustainable, a shift towards reusable and recyclable packaging can also help to reduce the climate-changing gases that are released during the manufacture of new plastic products.
What is flexible packaging ?
Flexible packaging is material that can be mechanically manipulated into various shapes and sizes for packing and storing various goods and products. The flexibility of the material allows it to be formed into various shapes and sized pouches or bags for holding a variety of items, and also makes it reusable and recyclable. Mechanical flexibilization often leads to thinner and lighter products, which is great for the environment. Moreover, the materials used in flexible packaging are usually highly recyclable or repulpable, reducing the need for virgin materials and reducing landfill waste.
Phenomenal opportunities in the flexible packaging market
The market for flexible packaging is currently worth around £11.9 billion, and is expected to rise to £16.7billion by 2027.
What are the major applications of flexible packaging?
Flexible packaging can be used for a variety of retail and e-commerce applications, including:
- A wide array of food and drink items, from biscuits and snacks to fruit and soft drinks
- Personal care products, such as shavers, moisturizers, and lotions
- Pharmaceuticals, including tablets and capsules
- Au.C adhesive products
- Waxed matchsticks
- And more…
How is the packaging material of most interest to consumers?
The major interest in these materials is due to their ability to be recycled or repurposed, which makes them more attractive to consumers. Around half of the population now see the value in using recycled products, which makes it an incredibly relevant marketing tool.
Why should marketeers care about flexible packaging?
With the world's population expected to reach 9.7billion by 2050, there is a fundamental need for sustainable and eco-friendly products to house, protect, and carry our goods and services. As well as being responsible for creating unnecessary waste, most plastics are also non-biodegradable, and will take hundreds of years to decompose.
Due to their limited lifespan, the materials used in flexible packaging are often seen as a drain on natural resources, particularly petroleum-based polymers such as polyethylene (PE) or polypropylene (PP). But, since these are petroleum-based materials, they are not biodegradable and they are energy-intensive to manufacture.
What if there was an alternative?
If consumers are seeing the value in reusing or recycling products, why not exploit that value by marketing a product in a more sustainable manner? With so much talk of climate change and environmental responsibility, consumers are more open to hearing messages relating to sustainability.
By 2025, more and more companies will be looking to reduce their carbon footprint, be more sustainable, and protect the environment. Therefore, marketers should start taking notice of the potential of flexible packaging to influence consumers in a positive direction, and the material can be a useful addition to any marketing toolkit.
Key benefits of using flexible packaging
Flexible packaging can be extremely useful in a variety of applications, due to its ability to be re-used and its ability to reduce waste. Moreover, by using more eco-friendly materials and manufacturing processes, marketers can help to improve the environment too.
A typical figure for the global packaging waste is 460 kilograms per person per year. That's a lot of unnecessary plastic packaging! Reusable and recyclable packaging can help to reduce the amount of waste that is generated by packaging, particularly in countries with high levels of disposable income, such as the U.K. However, there is still much to be done to ensure that all plastic materials are recycled or reused, and much to be done to educate consumers on the importance of sustainability.
Key features of flexible packaging
The main feature that sets flexible packaging apart from other forms of packaging is its ability to be mechanically manipulated into various shapes and sizes. This can be used to create pouches, bags, or other such containers for holding various products. Moreover, the materials used in flexible packaging are usually highly recyclable or repulpable, ensuring that they can be effectively recycled or used to create new products. This reduces the need for virgin materials and reduces landfill waste. What's not to like?