How to choose the right packaging?

The packaging is considered the direct intermediary between the consumer and the manufacturer. This is a particularly important element in a company's marketing strategy since it helps convey the brand's image and enhance the product itself. Moreover, this is why the giants of the industry or even the small producers invest sacred sums in developing the perfect packaging before putting their products on the market.

But above all, the packaging protects the product during the production process until consumption, passing through transport, distribution, and storage. For all these reasons, product packaging should not be taken lightly. How to do it? Get all the details in this article.

Adapt your packaging to the category of products you are going to send

The first things to consider are the general characteristics of your products.

The type of product

At first, you will have to base your choice on the type of product in question. There are 2 main categories of products: liquids and solids. The first category of the product corresponds to drinks, sauces, different types of oils, etc. On the other hand, solids include all tangible products. It can be a food product or an appliance.

To choosing the packaging, it is also important to consider the specificities of each product: ingredients, method of preservation, etc.

Product size

It allows you to avoid wasted packaging and reduce transport costs. It will then be necessary to consider the length, the width, the height, the shape, and the weight.

The shape of the product

Be aware that size and shape are different elements. For example, 2 products may be about the same size but not the same shape. However, the packaging must follow the shapes of the product for optimal support.

The fragility of the product

The protective packaging must be selected, taking into account the product's fragility. Moreover, protection is one of the primary functions of packaging. Therefore, it will be necessary to think of a more robust and shockproof material to withstand delivery and shipping for a fragile product.

To assess the fragility of a product, it is necessary to consider the material with which it was designed. For example, products made from ceramic or glass will naturally be more fragile and sensitive to external aggressions. This type of product sometimes requires filler materials to provide additional protection in addition to the cardboard packaging. This can be crumpled paper, bubble wrap, or cardboard wedging that we can develop.

How will you store these packages?

It is important to provide a suitable storage method for each type of packaging to preserve its quality.

First, it is important to place your packaging stock in a perfectly ventilated warehouse with an ambient temperature between 0 and 30°C. The humidity level should also be between 30 and 70% RH. It will be necessary to provide pallets or platforms to prevent your stocks from coming into contact with the ground. Make sure to put the pallets on a dry and perfectly clean surface. It is also important that your packaging is protected from dust, heat, and water.

Each time you remove a quantity of packaging, be sure to repackage the rest of the pallet.

How will you ship these packages?

It is essential to define beforehand the shipping method for your packaging. Product bags. Be aware that there are strict regulations on shipping packaging.

Be careful to choose a packaging that can effectively protect the products to avoid all possible risks. If necessary, provide secondary packaging to double the protection of your products.

It will be necessary to be particularly meticulous in the choice of carrier to avoid taking unnecessary risks. You must also take into account the type of vehicle transporting the parcels.

Note that there are two shipping methods: individually or on a pallet. For each, there are specificities to take into account.

Unit shipment: I prefer cardboard compositions offering excellent bursting resistance

Shipping on a pallet: 2 cases must be distinguished: the carrier product and the carrier packaging.

In the first case, the product supports loads of the successive layers, and the packaging will only have the function of a protective envelope against external attacks. This requires a quality that resists shocks and perforations, so it is the bursting resistance of the packaging that is important.

In the second case, the packaging supports loads of successive layers, and it must protect the products from external attacks. Therefore, it will be necessary to favor a quality adapted for good resistance to vertical compression (RCV) combined with adequate bursting resistance.

Follow a few simple rules that will optimize the strength and integrity of the palletization:

• It is necessary to privilege the columnar superposition of the packages with a good alignment. As far as possible, avoid overlapping layers. The resistance of packaging is maximum in the corners. Crossing layers results in a 50% loss in stacking strength.
• If possible, avoid loads overhanging the pallet to not damage your packages during transport.
• Remember to position spacers to make the layers united for better hold.
• Put sufficient protection to prevent the strapping from damaging the packages.

Wrapping the pallet will provide better load retention and additional protection.

Think about closure and labeling

Remember to inform yourself about the regulations in force concerning each product category, particularly food products and those that are not. You also have to think about marking standards.

The closure

Think about how you are going to seal the package. The chosen system must be able to provide all the necessary protection for the products while remaining practical and simple. Some products require a specific closing method to avoid bad odors. You can even think of several openings, depending on the final product's nature and mode of consumption.

Labeling

Be aware that you must produce detailed labels to inform the consumer about the different components of your product. Therefore, when choosing the packaging, think about how you will label your products: direct printing or printing on adhesive tape. Either way, the label should be sufficiently visible and accessible. It can also be embossed on the material.

Remember to indicate the durability, storage temperature, etc. For non-perishable products, do not forget to indicate the use methods, etc.

Opt for personalized packaging?

To give a real identity to your products, it would be interesting to opt for personalized packaging. This kind of packaging can be a real marketing asset. According to the studies conducted, personalized packaging would go a long way in attracting potential customers. Thanks to this type of packaging, you will be able to reveal your product's values or brand without having to carry out major advertising campaigns.

TIP: We recommend you to get in touch with Britwrap, as it is the best protective packaging company all over the UK.