What is Packaging?
Packaging is a precious material that protects the product within, allows for it to reach you in the most hygienic and safest conditions and makes it easier to transport and store it.
Basic functions of packaging may be summarized as:
- Containing
- Protecting/Storing
- Transporting
- Informing/Selling
Packaging is classified as follows based on their areas of usage:
Primary packaging or sales packaging - is the packaging that surrounds the product when it's sold to the final consumer. Includes the packaging that is in direct contact with the product and the other packaging components (i.e. lid, label) needed to complete the sales unit.
Secondary packaging or group packaging - is packaging used to bundle together the sales units for easy transportation in the sales environment. This process could be done by bundling the products to sell to the consumer (i.e. shrink film wrap and corrugated cardboard box).
Tertiary packaging or transport packaging - is used to make convenient the transport/delivery of a series of sales units or secondary packaging in order to prevent physical damage that may occur during packaging/delivery (i.e. corrugated cardboard box).
Unit load - is a packaging group consisting of a bundling together of more than one delivery packaging for loading/unloading processes (i.e., unit re-packaged with stretch film on the palette). Aside from its functionality a packaging is also defined according to its designated arrival point.
Consumer packaging - is packaging of a unit that reaches the final consumer from a commercial sales point.
Industrial packaging - is used to deliver goods from one producer to another producer. Industrial packaging often is used to transport goods to the next point of manufacture.