Think flowrap and you probably think shiny fossil fuel-based plastic that goes straight to landfill. But in recent years, flowrap technology has improved significantly, building on the product protection and preservation benefits traditional flowrap afforded to enhance brand perception and deliver a more sustainable approach to packaging.
Flowrapping is incredibly versatile across a wide range of products from food to medicines to household goods, plus high value items like computer hard drives where product security is vital. And while traditionally, flowrapping has used mostly petroleum-based plastic, modern methods allow for multiple substrates to improve brand exposure and increase recyclability, from fully recyclable outers and bioplastics, to different substrate outers and inners, and paper laminates.
For example, Cadbury Animals biscuits multipacks recently moved to plastic flow wrapped individual packs packaged in a paper flow wrapped outer pack to increase recyclability. The new outer packaging is designed to be recycled in standard UK household recycling collections, reducing the brands use of virgin plastic by 145 tonnes.
Sausage brand Westaways also used a switch in substrate to became the first meat producer in the UK to use full eco-friendly packaging, swapping out traditional plastic wrap for bioplastic. The move retaining the packaging cues consumers are used to in the category while creating a format that’s fully compostable at home, allowing them to make a bold ‘100 per cent recyclable’ claim on pack.
Four big advantages to using flow wrap
- Speed and efficiency
Flowrappers have working speeds of between 20 and 1500 packs per minute. For high volume producers, or those where freshness and preserving product life is key, time really is of the essence.
Modern flow wrap machinery allows for changes of product, format and substrate at the press of a button, with pre-programmed specifications allowing you to switch production quickly and easily – ideal for manufacturers and packers handling multiple products with varying needs.
- Increased shelf life
Plastic flow wrap forms an airtight barrier that extends life and reduces food waste, an issue with growing environmental impact. In the UK alone, households waste 4.5 million tonnes of edible food every year – an issue that’s adding up to 8 per cent of global greenhouse emissions globally.
flowrapping removes oxygen, which retains freshness and slows decline, as well as protecting the product from contact with moisture and airborne contamination. For example, when retailers first made the move to flow wrap for whole chickens – primarily for food hygiene and packaging weight reasons – the knock-on effect was that product life increased from nine to 11 days.
- Secure, hygienic seals
Flow wrap technology creates secure, strong seals that prevent leaks and tears, which brings significant benefits from a food hygiene perspective. While extended life and reduced pack weight were major benefits of moving whole chickens to flow wrap, cases of campylobacter on the outside of whole chicken packaging fell to just seven per cent, as the risk of leaks reduced.
Secure seals also mean a better consumer experience for ambient products like biscuits and cakes, where removing oxygen creates longer life and products that stay fresher for longer.
- Benefits for the environment
While consumer perception may be that plastic production and use is bad for the environment, it takes fewer raw materials and is less carbon intensive to create plastic film than to produce materials like paper, cardboard, metal and glass, plus it’s already one of the most widely recycled materials.
Flowrap is lighter than paper or rigid plastic, reducing the carbon impact of transporting your product. For example, when Aldi switched its mince out of rigid plastic top-seal trays to flow wrap, it reduced plastic use by 73 per cent. And while that format switch took a little while for consumers to adapt to, it’s one that’s now widespread and widely recognised in the category.
Want to explore how your packaging could work better for you and your customers? Download our packaging trends ebook for ideas, inspiration and expert advice. Ready to make a change? Contact Redpack now to discuss how we can help.
