Food Packaging has become a crucial part of both products and businesses that can’t be ignored. The materials used and the design curated to give the product a unique and appealing look quickly adds up the overall cost of packaging. When launching a food product, you must consider materials that are affordable and functional as well. There are many alternatives to create packaging that can cut packaging design and packaging costs. While some businesses focus on packaging that preserves the product through supply chain management, others emphasize methods to grab consumer attention. It would be best to consider each material type and design carefully that serves both the purpose without adding extra budget to the launch.
To help you understand what drives the cost of product packaging, we have shortlisted the main factors that affect the pricing. Here are they:
Type of Packaging: You have several options to select for packaging, each having its purpose and features to safeguard the food. Depending upon the type of food product, packaging can be categorized into three types: Rigid Packages, Flexible Packages, and Semi-Flexible packages. Rigid packaging includes bottles, trays, cans, and containers, especially for liquid items. Flexible includes plastic bags, cling film wraps, Styrofoam trays, and semi-flexible boxes, caps, and tetra packs. Once you decide what type of packaging will best suit your food product and protect it from damage during transportation, you can plan the budget and get an estimate.
Packaging Material: The most used materials in food packaging are plastics, paperboard, glass, and aluminum. Since multilayer packaging is standard these days to provide extra freshness to the food, many other sustainable packaging materials have been introduced to the packaging industry to protect not just the food but the environment as well. To replace the plastic bubble wrap, corrugated cardboard is being used that is bio-degradable and environmentally friendly. Inflatable air pillows are another alternative to plastic bubble wraps. You can cut down your cost to a great extent if the packaging materials are chosen wisely.
Design: The budget required for packaging is mainly used in buying the material and finalizing the packaging cost. Once this process is complete, you can cut down a significant amount of charge in designing the packaging. Hiring a designer that fulfills your requirement at an affordable price can save you a lot. Many top-notch companies hire the best and the most experienced companies for designing their custom product packaging who charge a considerable amount for a simple design. You can pick a newbie designer and create an equally successful design at a low cost. Make a wise decision while choosing the designer by carefully examining his skills and previous works.
Labor Costs: Conventional packaging involves manual labor for wrapping and stocking the products inboxes. This incurs less cost than the machines used in place of manual work but the finesse with which the device wraps can influence the buying nature of the stockist and end-user. Buying a machine will cost you a great deal initially but will show a positive result at a later stage and cut down the labor cost significantly. Your fine packaging might get you more orders in the long run. This will be a wise decision to own a packaging machine in the house.
Marketing costs: Marketing has the most crucial role in launching a product. Your packaging must be eye-catching and of high quality to get the right place in the store and lure consumers into buying it. The plastic and paper used for outer covering, the design, and fonts must be beautifully designed that half of your marketing is done only through the packaging itself. Marketing alone costs you a big deal, but the right packaging design can reduce the overall marketing cost. Luxury food items must be packed elaborately with a few blings and shiny materials, especially if it’s premium chocolate manufactured for gifting purposes.
Final Thought
Launching a new product is a daunting task, and waiting for the consumers to share their reviews can be overwhelming. Not only must your product be of high quality, but your packaging can also play a key role in making or breaking your business. Make the right choices for packaging by investing a reasonable amount of time in each of the mentioned drivers. Do not make haste. There are several options to choose from many innovative and technologically advanced materials and designs. Think carefully and choose wisely.
When Should You Be Using Sustainable Packaging? an infographic provided by Eagle Flexible Packaging, a flexible packaging company 
