Packaging and labelling

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

A sealed pack of diced pork from Tesco. It shows the cooking time, number of servings, 'display until' date, 'use by' date, weight in kg, price, price to weight ratio in both £/kg and £/lb, freezing and storage instructions. It says 'Less than 3% Fat' and 'No Carbs per serving' and includes a barcode. The Union Flag, British Farm Standard tractor logo, and British Meat Quality Standard logo imply that it is British pork.

Tablets in a blister pack, which was itself packaged in a folding carton made of paperboard.

Packaging is the science, art, and technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of packages. Package Labelling refers to any written, electronic, or graphic communications on the packaging or on a separate but associated label.

Packaging is heavily integrated into our daily lives, we see it all around us, on everyday items such as chocolate bars and potato chip (crisp) packets- As explained below, the main use for packaging is protection of the goods inside, but packaging also provides us with a recognisable logo, or packaging, we instantly know what the goods are inside

[edit] The purposes of packaging and package labels

Packaging and package labeling have several objectives::

• Physical Protection - The objects enclosed in the package may require protection from, among other things, shock, vibration, compression, temperature, etc.
• Barrier Protection - A barrier from oxygen, water vapor, dust, etc., is often required. Package permeability is a critical factor in design. Some packages contain desiccants or Oxygen absorbers to help extend shelf life. Modified atmospheres or controlled atmospheres are also maintained in some food packages. Keeping the contents clean, fresh, and safe is a primary function.
• Containment or Agglomeration - Small objects are typically grouped together in one package for reasons of efficiency. For example, a single box of 1000 pencils requires less physical handling than 1000 single pencils. Alternatively, bulk commodities (such as salt) can be divided into packages that are a more suitable size for individual households.
• Information transmission - Information on how to use, transport, recycle, or dispose of the package or product is often contained on the package or label. With pharmaceutical, food, medical, and chemical products, some types of information are required by governments.
• Marketing - The packaging and labels can be used by marketers to encourage potential buyers to purchase the product. Package design has been an important and constantly evolving phenomenon for dozens of years. Marketing communications and graphic design are applied to the surface of the package and (in many cases) the point of sale display.
• Reducing theft - Products are exposed to many contacts in the supply chain. Persons handling could steal products (pilferage), replace full products with empty ones or add unwanted contaminants to the contents (tampering). Packaging that cannot be re-closed or gets physically damaged (shows signs of opening) is very helpful in the prevention of these acts. The flaps of corrugated and cardboard boxes are therefore glued in such a way that any opening irreversibly damages them. The overpackaging of certain objects has led to a phenomenon known as wrap rage. Some packages are made larger than they need to be so as to make theft more difficult. An example is software packages that typically contain only a single disc even though they are large enough to contain dozens of discs. These packages may also be deliberately difficult to open, to hamper thieves from removing their contents without drawing notice. Packages also provide opportunities to include anti-theft devices, such as dye-packs or electronic article surveillance tags, that can be activated or detected by devices at exit points and require specialized tools to deactivate. Using packaging in this way is a common tactic for loss prevention.
• Convenience - Packages can have features which add convenience in distribution, handling, display, sale, opening, reclosing, use, and reuse.

[edit] Packaging types

Packaging may be looked at as several different types. One broad classification is the "primary package". This usually is the smallest unit of distribution or use and is the package which is in direct contact with the contents. A "transport package" or "distribution package" is the package form used to ship, store, and handle the product or inner packages.

A wide variety of materials are fashioned into different types of packages and containers such as:

• Aseptic packages
• Bags
• Bales
• Blister packs
• Bottles
• Boxes
• Cans
• Cartons
• Cushioning
• Envelopes
• Flexible packaging
• Pallets
• Wrappers

There are also special containers that combine different technologies for maximum durability:

• Bags-In-Boxes (used for soft drink syrup and other liquid products)
• Wine box (used for wine)

[edit] Symbols used on packages and labels

Many types of symbols for package labelling are nationally and internationally standardized. For consumer packaging, symbols exist for product certifications, trademarks, proof of purchase, etc. Some requirements and symbols exist to communicate aspects of consumer use and safety. Recycling directions, Resin identification code (below), and package environmental claims have special codes and symbols.

Bar codes (below), Universal Product Codes, and RFID labels are common to allow automated information management.

"Wikipedia" encoded in Code 128

Shipments of hazardous materials or dangerous goods have special information and symbols as required by UN, country, and specific carrier requirements. Two examples are below:

With transport packages, standardised symbols are also used to aid in handling. Some common ones are shown below while others are listed in ASTM D5445 "Standard Practice for Pictorial Markings for Handling of Goods" and ISO 780 "Pictorial marking for handling of goods".

Fragile	Use no hand hooks	This way up	Keep away from sunlight
Keep away from rain	Centre of gravity	Clamp as indicated	Do not clamp as indicated

[edit] Packaging machines

A choice of packaging machinery includes, technical capabilities, labor requirements, worker safety, maintainability, serviceability, reliability, ability to integrate into the packaging line, capital cost, floorspace, flexibility (change-over, materials, etc.), energy usage, quality of outgoing packages, qualifications (for food, phamaceuticals, etc.), throughput, efficiency, productivity, ergonomics, etc.

Packaging machines may be of the following general types:

• Blister, Skin and Vacuum Packaging Machines
• Capping, Over-Capping, Lidding, Closing, Seaming and Sealing Machines
• Cartoning Machines
• Case and Tray Forming, Packing, Unpacking, Closing and Sealing Machines
• Cleaning, Sterilizing, Cooling and Drying Machines
• Conveying, Accumulating and Related Machines
• Feeding, Orienting, Placing and Related Machines
• Filling Machines: handling liquid and powdered products
• Package Filling and Closing Machines
• Form, Fill and Seal Machines
• Inspecting, Detecting and Checkweighing Machines
• Palletizing, Depalletizing, Pallet Unitizing and Related Machines
• Product Identification: labelling, marking, etc.
• Wrapping Machines
• Converting Machines
• Other speciality machinery

[edit] Further reading

[edit] See also

• Adhesive
• Aluminium
• Aluminium foil
• Authentication
• Bar Code
• Beverage can
• Blow molding
• Bubble wrap
• Calendering
• Corrugated fiberboard
• Cigarette packet warning signs
• Compression molding
• Containerization
• Distribution
• Flexography
• Food labelling Regulations
• Freight
• Glass
• Glass container industry
• Glass recycling
• Good Manufacturing Practice
• Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points
• Heat sealer
• Injection moulding
• Life cycle assessment
• Logistics
• Mandatory labelling
• Materials science
• Moisture Vapor Transmission Rate
• Packaging engineering
• Paper
• Paper recycling
• Paperboard
• Plastic
• Plastic recycling
• Polyester
• Polyethylene
• Polypropylene
• Polystyrene
• Reuse
• Resonance
• RFID
• Shelf life
• Shock
• Statistical process control
• Tamper-evident
• Tamper resistance
• Tin can
• Thermoplastic
• Vacuum forming
• Vibration

[edit] External links

• Packaging Digest Magazine (U.S.A), [1]
• Institute of Packaging Professionals, [2]
• Summary of Vacuum Pouches, Ultravac Solutions [3]
• International Safe Transit Association, [4]
• Packaging.com Information[5]
• Packaging Association of Canada
• Packaging Machinery Manufactures Institure, http://www.pmmi.org
• Transport Information Service: Technical information about fit-for-purpose packaging
• Image of all ISO 780 pictorials (In Swedish), [6]