The global food packaging market is expected to hit USD456.6 billion by 2027. Food and beverage accounts for the largest segment in the coding and marking market, driven by a global demand for convenience and packaged food. As consumers increasingly turn to online channels for grocery purchases and food delivery services, food safety will assume more importance, which in turn calls for effective packaging and coding and marking solutions.

Food and beverage packaging falls into 3 categories: rigid, semi-rigid and flexible packaging.

Rigid packaging such as metal cans, glass bottles and plastic jars have traditionally been printed with labels. For non-porous rigid packaging, ink migration poses little or no risk in terms of food safety when it comes to coding and marking. Bottle shoulders and curved bottom of cans are easily coded and marked with Thermal Inkjet (TIJ) technology which leaves high resolution, quality prints that far surpass those of Continuous Inkjet (CIJ) technology.

Breakthroughs in technology have also enabled TIJ printers to offer customised and attractive prints on glossy surfaces and shrink-wraps for rigid packaging, enabling brands to churn out attention-grabbing packaging for their food products.

Semi-rigid packaging includes corrugated cardboard and cartons, paper and other substrates used in secondary packaging, display packaging and transportation packaging. Such porous substrates are more susceptible to ink migration and used to be the only materials that TIJ printing was limited to. These days however, innovative ink formulas offering superior adhesion and faster drying times have allowed TIJ printers to print at greater speeds per minute, even on glossy and coated paper-based materials.

Flexible packaging such as pouches, bags, shrink films, tubes, sleeves and zip-lock packages are quickly finding favour with consumers. Unlike glass bottles or bulky multi-pack boxes which take up space; flexible packaging is lightweight, convenient to carry around and stores easily as it can stack and stand upright.

More Brands Are Transitioning To Flexible Packaging

Just as consumers love the convenience of a resealable bag, more brands are equally finding more reasons to transition to flexible packaging.

E-commerce is on the rise.
As online platforms proliferate and consumers' shopping habits flock online, anything can now be delivered right to our doorstep. Flexible packaging is lightweight and poses little to no risk of breakage during shipment and delivery, making it the ideal choice for brands and consumers alike.

Flexible packaging takes up less space and minimises costs
Flexible packaging such as zip-seal pouches are considerably lighter and take up less space to ship and store. This can significantly reduce costs associated with storage or damage during transportation and transit as they are not easily breakable.

Flexible packaging is more sustainable
As consumers take an avid interest in sustainable and environmentally friendly packaging, brands are seeking greener alternatives for packaging. Flexible packaging uses fewer resources and generates less waste and carbon footprint. For example, pouches require approximately 90 percent less energy to produce and release about 90 percent less greenhouse gas compared to rigid packaging such as glass bottles.

Flexible packaging is attention-grabbing
Flexible packaging can come in unique shapes and sizes, which is especially important for new entrants to differentiate themselves from competition on a crowded supermarket shelf. Furthermore, flexible packaging allows for printing on almost 100% of its surface, even if they are irregular-shaped, allowing brands to create impactful callouts to grab the attention of consumers.

TIJ - Meeting Brand Expectations For Coding And Marking on Flexible Packaging

With the uptake in flexible packaging by brands to vie for a slice of consumers’ attention, inkjet technologies have advanced to leave lasting impressions on food and beverage packaging.

TIJ printing has gained a strong foothold in coding and marking on flexible packaging in the food and beverage industry. Besides being rub-resistant and fast-drying, TIJ solvent inks offer exceptional adhesion to non-porous materials such as foils, laminated paperboards and films.

Furthermore, TIJ coding and marking provides highly legible print compared to the dot-matrix alphanumerics made by CIJ printers. These dot-matrix characters commonly seen in the form of product batch codes and expiration dates on food and beverage products pose a risk for both brands and consumers alike. Such prints are sometimes hardly visible and are not able to achieve the clarity and degree of legibility possible with TIJ technology and inks.

Ink migration is a major concern amongst brands to uphold food safety. Demands for Methanol-free, BPA-free, Benzophenone-free, low-VOC, low-odour and UV inks are on the rise especially when it comes to flexible food packaging. While coding and marking on the exterior of flexible packaging have lower risks of ink migration compared to printing that comes into direct contact with food, choice of inks still have to be evaluated for food safety.

Low-migration inks that have been developed to ensure product safety will allow brands to provide quality offerings for consumers without affecting the product’s odour, taste and flavour. At RYNAN, we are constantly working on new ink formulations to meet both consumer needs and regulatory demands. With further evolutions to inks and printhead technologies, TIJ will continue to advance and print on even more kinds of substrates in the near future.

References:

Food Packaging Market Worth $456.6 Billion By 2027 | CAGR: 5.2%, Grandview Research, Mar 2020