The global packaging industry has witnessed a high volume growth during the pandemic. The second wave of coronavirus is making 2021 grasp new prospects for companies in the hygiene packaging market, owing to a surge in the consumption of packed products. Flexible Packaging companies are all geared up to optimize on new growth prospects to indulge in hygiene packaging for sanitisers, hand washes, disinfectants and packed foods. Here are the top 4 trends for Hygiene packaging in the flexible packaging category seen strongly emerge in the Covid-19 crisis.
Growth of Hygiene Products - With greater awareness of sanitation and health concerns hygiene packaging has formed a niche of its own in flexible packaging solutions. Sensing a long-term revenue opportunity packaging companies are scaling up their service to meet an exponential rise in demand for personal hygiene and sanitation products. There has been a surge in the demand for disinfectants and floor cleaners. Research shows that in 2020, hand sanitisers saw a growth in sales of 144 per cent growth in comparison to 2019. Washing hands often became the prime reason for a 42 per cent growth of the liquid hand washes too.
Say no to Loosed items - The continued lockdown has brought a huge change in the human consumption habits in our country. Essential items such as rice, sugar, edible oils and flour have become hot commodities in hygiene packaging. Goods that were earlier sold in loose are now preferred to be packaged. This is reducing the peril of manhandling the products inside the packets. Besides, packaged goods can be easily sanitized at home before use ensuring a higher degree of safety for consumers. There were inherent issues of hygiene, spoilage and wastage due to the lower shelf life in loose items which are now being beautifully solved by flexible packaging.
Promotional & Multipacks – Brands are increasingly choosing promotion as a tool to encourage and incentivize customers to try new products. This has led to the packaging being developed in smaller promotional and multipacks. The concept of testers, trial packs and sachets in the hygiene sector has added a whole new dimension to the flexible packaging industry. Earlier with only shampoos and conditioners being sold in sachets, one can see an array of washing powders and hand sanitisers among other personal care and hygiene goods being made available in individual packs. Research shows that globally the global sachet packaging market is expected to grow by USD 1.31 billion during 2020-2024 largely owing to the pandemic.
Ready-to-Eat Packaging – The pandemic proved that packaging’s role in food safety is surging as consumers prefer to eat more out of packages and food is expected to remain safe in packaging for extended periods. Earlier no manufacturer could assure that its package would remain suitable for every type of food product under all possible usage conditions. However, with manufacturers collaborating effectively with flexible packaging specialists there has been a rise in providing a successful solution to the extended shelf life of the product.
Indeed, flexible packaging has proved to be the answer for tamper-evident packaging in the wake of the global pandemic helping consumers overcome the fear of infection spread. As a material plastic has a strong association with resource efficiency leading to global acceptance. We, at Montage Group, are committed to meeting the new demands of the industry and ensuring sustainable, recyclable, and hygienic packaging solutions across several industries at all costs.