What types of packaging does the food industry use?

From the time they leave the factory until they reach the consumer, products in the food industry use different types of packaging. All of them are an essential part in the process of transporting, distributing and selling the product to ensure its safety and quality.

We can classify three types of packaging:

Primary Packaging

It is the one that is in direct contact with the product. Its main function is to protect it from external agents and keep its properties intact. But it is not the only one. In the food sector, the primary packaging is the first thing the consumer will see on the supermarket shelves.

It must therefore be presented in such a way that it stands out from its competitors and is attractive for purchase. In addition, the primary packaging should provide all the information that the product should include as a matter of course.

Today, there are many examples of product packaging that combine functionality, design and sustainability.

Secondary Packaging

It is the one that contains several primary packages, grouping the product to transport several units of the same product or to facilitate the consumer the purchase of several units at the same time.

Tertiary packaging

Tertiary packaging, or packaging proper, is the one that encompasses the two previous ones, protecting both primary and secondary packaging during transportation and storage. For this reason, it is often said that packaging is “the packaging of packaging”. An example of tertiary packaging would be a pallet with 10 cartons containing bottles of wine.

Tertiary packaging includes wooden, cardboard and plastic pallets, as well as large-volume cardboard boxes with or without lids, or corrugated cardboard boxes on wooden or cardboard pallets.

Protective elements in food containers

There are also elements that stabilize the packaged products, facilitating their movement without risk of loss or breakage.

In primary and secondary packaging, adhesive tapes, glues or seals are usually used to ensure their closure. Stretch film is the most widespread option for grouping smaller packaging units.

As a summary of this post, the following is an image of a product that does not belong to the food industry, but as in most products, it is also used with the three types of packaging that we have seen above.