Packaging

The prime purpose of packaging is to protect goods in transit, storage and distribution, thus preventing waste through breakage, spoilage and contamination. The secondary purpose is to provide information to distributors and consumers about the product.

Packaging is a cost to the supplier of goods. It is in his interests to keep it to a minimum consistent with achieving its purpose. Self service shopping, which keeps down the price of food, would be impossible without packaging.

Paper and board is used to package 40% of all products sold in packaged form. Manufacturers aim to give adequate protection with less weight of packaging material: it is an area of continual research. UK packaging material consumes over 1.75 million tonnes of waste paper, representing 85% of its total production.

Packaging materials must meet legal and regulatory requirements, eg, where in contact with food, which may affect the choice of fibre used.