One of the biggest trends in packaging right now is the growing use of flexible pouches. Flexible pouches can vary in type, size and shape like single-serve foil packs to larger kraft stand-up pouches, and this type of packaging can contain an array of products.
Plus, in eye-tracking studies within a retail environment, stand-up pouches were noticed 40% faster and viewed 53% longer than a rigid package.
There are many reasons flexible pouches are used for packaging more products, and we aim to explain what we believe are the 10 main reasons:
1. Flexibility
Empty pouches and packets lie flat which makes for easier handling and lower freight costs. All flexible packaging contains some ability to expand when filled, but stand-up pouches that feature a gusseted bottom expand the most. This feature is great for foods, liquids and gels as it offers great flexibility without sacrificing any durability.
2. Extended Shelf Life
Flex pouches are made of multiple thin layers of high-grade materials including kraft and polyethylene. These multiple air-tight layers, along with a polyethylene barrier layer, provide a fantastic barrier protecting the packaged product from oxygen, contaminants and light, extending the shelf life of the enclosed products – even food. In fact, flexible packaging with a polyethylene inner layer offers the same amount of barrier protection as most plastic squeeze tubes.
3. Reusable
Stand-up pouches and other flexible packaging can feature zip locks, a variety of spouts and other seal-able closures that make using the contained product more convenient, fresher and longer lasting.
4. Variety of Shapes & Styles
There’s no other type of packaging with near infinite design possibilities like flexible packaging. Flexible packaging can take almost any shape, from tiny single-serve packets to large stand-up pouches that hold several cups of liquid, your flexible packaging is the ideal way to get your branding and products to stand out. Special features such as pre-perforated tabs for magazine trial packs, built-in handles and custom spouts for mess-free pouring also helps to promote and make your brand memorable for usability by the end users.
5. Target Market Effectiveness
According to a 2018 packaging trends study conducted by Mintel, flexible packaging is the most effective way of targeting millennials and to get their attention in the shopping aisles. In addition, eye-tracking studies indicated certain types of stand-up pouches sitting on a retail shelf were noticed 40% faster and viewed more than 50% longer than rigid packages.
6. User/Customer Experience
Making the lives of the people buying your products better and more convenient is a main goal for most businesses. Flexible packaging helps make that happen in many different ways. Having an air-tight or resealable pouch reduces waste and helps your products last longer which adds value to your customers’ everyday lives. Having a pouch that is easy to handle for all users with a spout or zip lock closure increases your brand’s trust and chance of creating a long-term repeat customer.
7. Storage
Flexible pouches hold the same amount of product in a smaller space on a shelf or in a cabinet vs. more traditional corrugated packaging. The physically flexible nature of flex packaging also allows for more products to be shipped in the same size container when compared to corrugated packaging, lowering freight, shipping and storage costs.
8. Lower Manufacturing Costs
To start, flexible packaging requires less material to create effective packaging when compared to corrugated packaging. Since the thinner polyethylene material is much thinner han typical corrugated materials while being more durable, it means more flexible pouches can be die cut at one time vs. the thicker corrugated materials. This not only gives you a savings on materials and waste, but you will realize labor and manufacturing savings as well.
9. Diverse Products
Flexible packaging like the stand-up pouch can hold an incredibly diverse range of products. Anything from food products like yogurt and pickles to industrial products like motor oil, flex pouches embody many of the best features of squeeze tubes and corrugated packaging.
10. Sustainable Packaging
According to the Flexible Packaging Association, flexible packaging uses less energy during manufacturing and transportation. The lightweight nature of flexible pouches and pack results in lower transportation and fuel costs. In addition, many types of pouches are recyclable, and some stand-up pouches are made from recycled materials, which means less waste ending up in landfills. Overall, flex pouches generate smaller amounts of greenhouse gasses when they arrive on market shelves.
Flexible packaging is innovating how consumers and manufacturers view packaging. In the past, packaging was merely a container to be used and disposed of in the trash, but with flex packs and stand-up pouches, packaging is another tool, an accessory to your brand. Packaging that engages and benefits the consumer is becoming as important as customer service and even the product itself, and flexible packaging is the best way to deliver what the consumer wants and needs.
As always, you can email us or contact PreferPack’s experienced packaging professionals at 877-284-7752.