Packaging serves important functions of protecting products, preserving them, and promoting brands. It is the first point of contact customers have with a product. Good packaging keeps products safe from hazards during transportation and storage, prevents damage and contamination, and provides important product information. There are three main types of packaging: primary for the product itself, secondary to group primary packages, and tertiary for bulk transport and storage. Packaging materials include rigid, semi-rigid, and flexible options. Good packaging design considers the product, distribution needs, handling requirements, and regulations to cost-effectively meet principles of protection, efficient production, affordability, and other factors.

1. Principles of Packaging
By,
Ritwika Pramod
III UG FSMD
20ufd043

2. Introduction
Physical products require packaging to protect them from damage
and to present the product and brand attractively to a target group
of customers. Packaging is the first point of contact that the
customer has with a brand. There must be a direct correlation
between te packaging’s physical attributes and the messages that
the brand seeks to project. Packaging is defined as the art, science
and tehnology of enclosing and protecting products for distribution,
storage, sale and use. Without packaging, product handling would
be messy and sales would be impossible. Peter Durand is the person
who invented packaging.

3. Importance of Packaging
The importance of packaging are: -
• Keep the product safe from environmental hazards.
• Protection against contamination – The air is home to micro – organisms
responsible for spoiling a product. Packaging is done to eliminate air from
package and then it is sealed to prevent air from coming in contact with the
atmosphere. Consequently, the packed item has low degradation rate and shelf
life is increased.
• Protection from physical damage – Packaging is necessary to maintain the
integrity of the product till it reaches the consumer. Product need to be
transported through ship from one place to another and the product should reach
the customer as a whole. Bubble wraps, thermocol etc. provide resistance.

4. Importance of packaging (cont..)
• Prevention of product leaking and spilling – Proper packaging is important to prevent
leakage and spilling during transportation or while handling products. Its important to
ensure tat the package is sealed from all sides and are resilient.
• Product branding and labelling – Packaging is more important than protection of products.
It is important for branding the product do it can be identified and provides essential
information about the product eg. Ingredients, nutritional fact etc.
• Marketing – Marketing frequently come up with innovative ideas to attract more
customers. Packaging is the first thing the customer notices then the product is
identified. So, its important that the package is attractive and is different from other
products.
• Essential for brand creation, awareness and promotion.
• Helps prevent tampering.

5. Functions of Packaging
Packaging serves 3 main functions:-
• Protection – Protection of the product may be from climatic hazards and
mechanical hazards. Climatic hazards would be atmospheric moisture, oxygen,
light, heat, cold and microbial attack. The presence of water vapor and air gives
rise to rancidity. Mechanical hazards are those happening during packing, storing,
transportation and distribution and in the form of impact, vibrations and
compressions.
• Preservation – Preservation of the product means the extent of time a product
could be preserved in a packaging system. The product should maintain its quality
till its consumed. Consumer gets convinced about the authenticity of the product.
• Promotion – Promotion is to attract customer towards the product. It is a strategy
to arouse curiosity, stimulate interest and promote sales. Manufacturer can cut
the cost of advertising by proper packaging. Packaging helps in handling the food
conveniently.

6. Types of Packaging
There are 3 types of packaging: -
• Primary packaging – It is a packaging where the food we eat is in direct contact
with the material. The consumer receives the product within that pack.

7. • Secondary packaging – Here, all primary packaged items are clubbed together in a
box to go for tertiary packing. It is also known as intermediate packaging.

8. • Tertiary packaging – This is used for bulk purchasing, warehouse storing and
transport shipping. It facilitate safe handling and transport of the packaged
product. It protect the product against mechanical and physical hazards.

9. Materials used for Packaging
There are 3 materials used: -
• Rigid – Such as glass bottles, tin containers, aluminum containers.
• Semi rigid type – Such as plastic bottle, thermoformed containers, lined carton,
coated and laminated carton.
• Flexible type – Such as wrappers, pouches, stand up pouches, laminates, films and
jute bags.
Other methods of packaging include vacuum packaging, shrink wrap packaging
etc.

10. Requirements of good Packaging
The requirements of good packaging are: -
• It should protect the contents.
• It should be attractive.
• It should bestow convenience.
• It should guarantee economy.
• It should assure adjustability.
• It should be pollution free.
• It should be informative.

11. Advantages of Packaging
The advantage of packaging are: -
• Packaging provide convenience to customer.
• Helps in easy transportation of goods.
• Helps in branding and advertising.
• Protect the product against outside elements.
• Helps in reuse of other materials.
• Reduce marketing cost.
• Both quantity and quality are subject to betterment.

12. Points to be considered before designing a
Packaging System
The points to be considered are: -
• Product details – Physical state, weight, size, chemical composition, vulnerability
to environmental and fragility.
• Distribution – Method of distribution either by rail, road, air or sea.
• Handling – Cargo handling, manually or mechanical means.
• Destination market – In case of export market, details regarding the importing
country’s laws and regulations.
• Packaging cost – Details of material cost, storage cost, packaging operation cost
etc.

13. Principles of Packaging
The principles of packaging are: -
• Protection against external climatic conditions and containments – The protective
function of packaging essentially involves protecting the food from environmental
condition. The goods require protection from climatic condition such as
temperature, humidity, precipitation and solar radiation. These can spoil the
product.
• Easily and efficiently closed and filled – The product must be efficiently filled,
closed and processed at high speeds in order to reduce costs. It must be made of
materials which are rugged enough to provide protection during distribution. Else,
its vulnerable to spoilage.
• Inexpensive – It is an inexpensive process.

14. Principles of Packaging (Cont..)
• The items used for packaging must be disposable or reusable.
• Protect the item against mechanical damage – Mechanical damage are those
happening during processing, storing, transportation and distribution. It occurs due
to mishandling or improper packaging. For eg. Fresh fruits are vulnerable to cuts,
bruises etc.
• Provide ease of handling facilities for loading and storage – Proper packaging can
help in easy loading the product after transportation and they can be stored at
proper conditions.
• Protects the content against pilferage.

15. References
• www.researchgate.net – Type of packaging
• https://theintactone.com – Requirement of packaging.
• Food Science by B. Srilakshmi – 7th Edition (Multicolour) , Page no. – 414, 415, 420.