Appeal to Consumers with Resealable Packaging

People, especially millennials, are consuming more fresh fruits and vegetables. With that increased consumption, packaging for freshness is growing increasingly important. Packagers need to be aware of this trend so they can address the packaging needs of their customers.

Fresh diet trends

A Packaging Digest article cites a Mintel report which says that “nearly 40% of consumers report they are eating more fruits and vegetables than ever before, with much of it being fresh produce.” And while a slightly smaller percentage of consumers prefer to shop farmers’ markets or local farm brands, grocery stores are competing well by touting the fact that they also sell locally grown, fresh produce. They are able to compete effectively because of new packaging trends such as resealable and single-serve packages.

“As prices continue to climb for fresh produce no matter the source, nearly 30% of consumers say they wish more bagged salads came in resealable packaging,” Packaging Digest points out, “while nearly 25% say they would like more fruits and vegetables in single-serve packaging — both options that present new marketing opportunities for brands and retailers.”

Benefits of resealable packaging

“There are a number of plastic packaging innovations making it possible to keep food fresher longer, so less is wasted and sent to landfills,” says Steve Russell, vice president of plastics for the American Chemistry Council, in an ACC press release. “From resealable plastic bags and airtight plastic storage containers to portion-controlled plastic pouches for your favorite foods, the plastics industry offers many ways for American families to reduce the amount of food wasted in their homes, making it more affordable for them as well.”

Resealable packaging means reducing food waste and landfill footprints. The Environmental Protection Agency says food waste has a significant impact on the environment. As published in the ACC press release, the EPA claims that “methane gas produced by discarded food waste in landfills is 21 times more harmful to the ozone than the carbon dioxide emitted from cars.”

Resealable and single-serve packaging also offers convenience and quicker meal preparation. Reusable pouches are often easy to open without the need for scissors.

The resealable market

Products that can benefit from resealable packaging include shredded cheeses, tuna, sausage, salad makings, fresh and dried fruit, pastas, cold cuts, and more. An increasing number of consumers are demanding resealable pouches for pet foods. But it’s not just foods that can benefit from resealable or individual packages. Consumers are also opting for resealable packaging for soaps, detergents, and other household products to increase transportability, among other things.

Resealable packaging is good for the consumer and for the environment. With that win-win situation, you can’t afford to miss the opportunities that this packaging trend offers.

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