THE ADVANTAGES AND DISADVANTAGES OF FOOD PACKAGING

Packaging has both negative and positive effects. However, information on these effects will help raise
consumer awareness and help them choose packaging that is safe both personally and environmentally.

Advantages of food Packaging

Though people buy food all the time, most have never taken time to think about the food and its
packaging. Some of the key benefits or advantages of food packaging are containing food, preserving
and protecting food, transporting, as well as allowing effective communication and selling of the
packaged food product

• Containing Food

A lot of science encompasses the various packaging forms and the

most effective ones for different food types. For instance, the
chemical reactions that occur with powders, liquids, and solids
differ from those of other compounds. This is the main reason why
approvals for packaging are the strictest globally.

• Protecting Food

Products such as oils and beers are packaged with the sole purpose of
protecting their quality and integrity. Additionally, packaging keeps
the product safe by keeping them free of foreign objects. Packaged
foods are free of contamination. This contamination may be either
naturally occurring or man-made.

• Preserving Food

Food products should not only be kept safe, but their shelf life should also be extended. Packaging is an
effective means of preserving food, as well as extending the shelf
life of the food product.

• Communication

Packaging is also an excellent way of communicating about the

product inside effectively. A food package may contain ingredients,
nutritional content, allergen information and even cooking
instructions. It is therefore evident that food packaging is an
excellent way of communicating to the consumer about the
product contained in the package.

Disadvantages of food packaging

The amount of packaging on an individual food product or other consumer item has increased. While
packaging does improve safety, offer convenience and reduce theft, it also comes with a number of
disadvantages. Packaging can be bulky, expensive and environmentally damaging over the course of its
life cycle.

• Cost

While packaging can do a lot to get customer attention, and may even add value to a product, it also
adds to the cost of production and the eventual retail price. According
to Know This, packaging can represent as much as 40 percent of the
selling price of products in industries such as the cosmetic industry.
New packaging can be expensive to develop, adding to the cost of
products.

• Landfill Impact

Packaging is responsible for significant portions of the waste stream.

According to the Ashland Food Cooperative, packaging is responsible for about one third of the
municipal waste in the United States. Some waste can be recycled, but many materials are not
appropriate for recycling. Post-consumer recycled content is often usable
only in specific contexts. For instance, many types of recycled plastic may
not be used in food containers, even if the original plastic came from
food containers. Much of the waste produced by packaging ends up in a
landfill.

• Production Footprint

Products with more packaging also use more resources in production.

According to Green Living Tips, around 12 million barrels of oil are used to make shopping bags for U.S.
consumers each year. Over 10 million barrels are used to make water bottles, and one pound of
polystyrene (Styrofoam) uses about two pounds of petroleum stock. Production also requires energy,
usually sourced from burning fossil fuels, and may produce air and water
pollution.

References:

http://www.grocery.com/advantages-food-packaging/
https://sciencing.com/disadvantages-packaging-6702467.html

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