Dairy Packaging 101; Innovations, Solutions, Sustainability, and More.
Dairy packaging has advanced substantially in recent years due to breakthroughs in things like design and materials, which have each provided consumers and producers with never before seen options.
Let's examine some of the most important developments in dairy packaging from the last few years, as well as the most effective solutions currently being used. Things like pressure-sensitive labels, folding cartons, shrink sleeves, and flexible packaging will all be discussed.
We’ll also touch on sustainable advancements within the industry as well as much needed aseptic packaging options available.
Shrink Sleeves
Shrink sleeves provide dairy brands with several advantages.
First off, the thin, but flexible material used for shrink sleeves can be printed with high-quality images and designs. This allows for unique and premium branding opportunities. Brands can standout on the shelves as well as compel a purchase from consumers.
Secondly, shrink sleeves provide seamless, 360 degree label real-estate. This gives dairy brands ample room to include enticing information such as logo, jaw-dropping colors, brand story, value-providing recipes, and more. There’s no fear for a cramped or cluttered label when using shrink sleeves.
Thirdly, because of shrink sleeves immense flexibility and heat application, they can be applied to any size or shaped container without wrinkling or distortion. This allows brands to play around with the container, bottle, or jar being used for their product. Convenient or eye-catching containers can thus be explored.
Fourthly, shrink sleeves can be used for tamper evidence, protecting consumers from dangerous pre-consumer tampering. Brands can either use shrink sleeves for clear or printed neck bands, or take advantage of an all-in-one label + tamper evidence solution by utilizing a full body over-the-cap shrink sleeve label. Picture a giant billboard on any grocery store shelf. This is what your product is when it uses a full body 0ver-the-cap shrink sleeve label.
Lastly, because of innovations in the industry, a light-blocking film can be placed on the inside of shrink sleeves, allowing for the product within to be preserved longer. This becomes vitally important for dairy products, especially RTD products, that need to possess a longer shelf life but often times can’t because of the nature of dairy. The light-blocking film adds an additional barrier that keeps out >99% of light, air, and moisture, each of which would spoil the dairy product quicker.
Pressure Sensitive Labels
Pressure-sensitive labels are another commonly seen dairy packaging solution at the moment. Because pressure sensitive labels, or PSL’s, possess an adhesive backed material, they're actually applied directly to the container without the need for heat. This can make PSL's the more cost-effective and practical choice for dairy brands over shrink sleeves.
Custom color selection and high-quality design options are just a few of the creative possibilities available with PSL’s. They can be utilized for a wide range of applications due to the fact that they are offered in a number of materials, such as paper, film, and foil.
PSL’s can also be used for tamper evidence. Simply apply the PSL around the cap and neck of the product to display to consumer’s that no one has tampered with their product before them.
However, it’s important to note that PSL are not nearly as durable as their competing tamper evident solution, shrink sleeves.
Folding Cartons
Folding Cartons are another commonly seen and used packaging solution in the dairy industry. Manufactured by folding and gluing a single sheet of paperboard into the shape of a box, folding cartons are often customized to the requirements of the dairy product and are easy to carry, cost-efficient, and multifunctional. It's no surprise that consumers seem to love folding cartons.
In addition to consumer convenience, folding cartons can be printed with high-quality design and imaging, making them the ideal branding tool for any dairy brand.
Flexible Packaging
Flexible packaging has taken not only the dairy, but the entire CPG industry, by storm.
Made from material such as plastic or aluminum foil, flexible packing is loved immensely for its consumer convenience, light-weight nature, and unique shelf-appearance.
Flexible packaging has gained popularity amidst the dairy industry specifically because of it’s ability to expand shelf life of dairy products. Because of it’s protective barrier from light, moisture, and air, dairy product’s packaged in flexible packaging can expect a longer period of product purity than if packaged in traditional packaging.
An additional bonus to flexible packaging is that it’s easy to store and light weight, saving dairy brands big bucks when it comes time to transport their products.
Sustainability in Dairy Packaging
Packaging is the major player involved in the dairy industry's rising concern with sustainability. As consumers demand sustainability, dairy brands are responding by developing innovative packaging solutions that both get the job done and act in an environmentally friendly manner.
One of the most popular ways dairy brands are pursuing sustainability is with recycled packaging materials. Instead of using virgin plastic, which would require following a linear economic plan, more and more dairy brands are committing to a circular economy and thus switching to 100% recycled PET (rPET) or Crystalline Polyethylene (cPET)
Although not dairy related, Snapple is a great example of a brand who went against the temptation to greenwash, and decided instead to made a packaging choice that was backed by scientific research. The sustainable results for Snapple were outstanding.
Another way in which dairy brands are pursuing sustainability is by transitioning from an opaque container to a clear instead. Opaque is difficult, sometimes impossible to recycle. Clear containers are the more ideal option in recycling. However, dairy products will spoil quickly if produced in clear containers.
The solution?
Clear containers dressed in a full body shrink sleeve with a light-blocking film on the inside. Dairy brands get the ideal clear container while maintaining longer shelf lives.
Premier Protein did an excellent job transitioning recently to this solution. Their new bottles are wrapped in a full body over-the-cap shrink sleeve with a light-blocking film on the inside to protect their products from spoilage. For an added bonus, the sleeve includes a vertical perforation down the side with clear instructions for consumers to remove and separate label from bottle in order to have the most effective recycling outcomes.
Lastly, more dairy brands are beginning to see the futility in switching to glass as a means of “sustainability”. A revelation is being shown on how plastic can be used to obtain sustainable outcomes in the dairy packaging world. Plastic is by nature, significantly lighter than glass, which means less transportation needed. Less transportation means less co2 emissions. In addition, plastic is more durable than glass which means less protective packaging during transport. Less protective packaging means less waste.
Of course, there is no PERFECT sustainable solution yet, only BETTER options.
In most cases it seems that using a recycled plastic to package dairy products would be the BETTER option at this time.
Consumer Trends in the Dairy Industry
Packaging can help meet and exceed consumer expectations and demands.
In the dairy world, consumer trends are currently centered around convenience, health, and sustainability. Here is how certain packaging solutions can meet each of these trends.
Convenience: Single serve packaging, RTD packaging, and resealable packaging are all wildly popular convenient packaging solutions in the dairy world.
Health: Consumer’s have never cared more about their health than they do today. Dairy brands need to sell their product’s health benefits to consumers. In order to do this, brands have to have room on their label for the compelling information. Shrink sleeves and flexible packaging offer the necessary space needed.
Sustainability: A Neilson study found that 75% of millennial consumers were willing to change their buying habits in order to support eco-friendly brands. If your packaging is using any of the sustainable solutions listed in this blog, or doing any other sustainable initiatives outside of packaging, let the consumers know! Include it on your label or add a QR code that takes consumers to a website or video that shares what your team is up to.
New Technology in Dairy Packaging
One of the leading technological advancements in dairy packaging is smart QR codes.
When a smart QR code is placed on a product’s label, brands have the power to update or change the online content connected to those QR codes, even if the QR code was already printed onto the label.
Now, with a simple scan from their smartphone, consumers can:
Find out more about a brand’s story
Authenticate their products
Read additional safety information
Learn about the brand’s sustainability efforts or how to properly recycle their products
Be educated on potential health benefits
Watch helpful how-to-guides
Download discounts
Engage in a brand’s community groups and social media pages
This new technology has allowed brands to talk directly to their consumers through their product’s packaging, thereby building trust between brand and consumer.
Next Steps For Your Dairy Products
There are many factors to consider when selecting packaging for dairy products.
Tango Packaging wants to help.
Advice in making the initial decision, complimentary samples of each option, and even applying your labels to your containers in-house with our contract sleeving division, our Tango team is ready and available to help you produce your dream product.
Step 1. Schedule a packaging consultation with one of our packaging experts. We’re happy to help you find what works best for your specific product.
Step 2. We’ll send you complimentary samples of each option.
Step 3. We’ll provide you with a quote.
Schedule your complimentary consultation by filling out our contact form, emailing us at info@tangopackaging.com, or calling (844) 33-TANGO [82646].