The flexibility factor

Flexible packaging continues to take the industry by storm. According to the 2015 Flexible Packaging Market Assessment by PMMI, The Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, its unique benefits have made it the second largest packaging segment. The dynamic format promises huge potential for brand owners in food, beverage, pharmaceuticals and other products as it can adapt to a wide range of shapes and sizes and features innovative components. Additionally, flexible packaging offers sustainability, extended shelf life, cost savings and convenience – major factors that consumers consider before purchasing a product.

Flexible packaging is not without its own sustainability challenges. It is common knowledge that while manufacturers benefit from minimizing material use with flexible packaging, the format is less likely to be recycled. On the other hand, according to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), pre-cycling is the preferred method of waste management because it reduces material use at its source. That is, trash is eliminated before it is even created.