In today’s retail landscape, packaging is doing more than ever before. It must protect the product, meet sustainability targets, support efficient production, and stand out on increasingly competitive supermarket shelves.
Two of the most widely used formats – traysealing and flowrapping, each offer distinct advantages. The key is understanding which is right for your product, your operations, and your retail customers.
Traysealing: Protection and presentation
Traysealing involves placing products into a rigid tray, sealed with a film lid. It remains a popular choice across retail, particularly for:
- Fresh meat and poultry
- Ready meals
- Soft fruits
- Premium or delicate produce
Why retailers choose traysealing
- Excellent product protection
- Extended shelf life of the product
- Strong, premium shelf presence
- Ideal for fragile or irregular products
- Compatible with modified atmosphere packaging (MAP)
- Reduction in plastic waste
Tray sealing is often the preferred option where structure, protection, and shelf life are critical.
Flowrapping: efficiency and sustainability
Flowwrapping uses flexible film to wrap products without the need for a rigid tray, making it ideal for:
- Fresh produce (herbs, salads, vegetables)
- Bakery items
- Multi-packs
Why retailers are shifting to flowrapping
- Significant reduction in packaging material
- Lower overall packaging costs
- High-speed, efficient production
- Greater flexibility in pack formats
Retail perspective: what’s driving the decision?
Supermarkets today are balancing multiple priorities:
1. Sustainability Targets
Reducing plastic and improving recyclability are high on the agenda. Flowrapping often supports this through reduced material use, while traysealing is evolving with recyclable and fibre-based trays.
2. Shelf Impact & Branding
First impressions matter. Traysealing offers structure and consistency, while flowrapping allows for greater product visibility and more design flexibility.
3. Operational Efficiency
Speed, uptime, and cost efficiency are critical. Flowrapping systems typically offer higher throughput and lower material costs, while tray sealing delivers reliability for more complex products.
There’s no ‘one-size-fits-all’
The reality is that both formats play an essential role in modern retail packaging.
- Traysealing excels where protection and presentation are key
- Flowrapping leads where efficiency and material reduction are priorities
Many producers and retailers are now adopting a combined approach, selecting the right format for each product category.
How Redpack supports both
At Redpack, we design and manufacture both traysealing and flowrapping solutions, giving our customers the flexibility to choose the right approach for their products and operations.
Our systems are built to:
- Run a wide range of materials, including recyclable options
- Deliver consistent, high-quality packs
- Support high-speed production environments
- Adapt to changing retailer and consumer demands
We work in partnership with our customers to find the most effective, future-ready packaging solution.
Looking to review your packaging strategy?
As retailers continue to push for more sustainable, efficient packaging, the choice between traysealing and flowrapping is becoming increasingly strategic.
The right solution isn’t about choosing one over the other – it’s about choosing what works best for your product, your customers, and your long-term goals.
Get in touch with the Redpack team to explore how traysealing or flowrapping could support your business.
