“Consumers want food that is natural and fresh, and which also has a very long shelf life,” said Bettina Schrenk. “Looking at the trends we see as a global producer of packaging, the first is sustainability and food waste. According to the World Health Organization, about 1.8 billion tons of food a year is thrown away, and 25% of that in the European Union. Barrier packaging can be a solution to reduce food waste.”
“Another trend is urbanization. By 2050, about 70% of the world's population will live in cities and this will mean longer transport times for food. Therefore, the weight and practicality of packaging will become more important. Plastic has a big advantage compared to glass and metal, because it is lightweight.”
“Organic farming is growing in Germany at around 10% per year, and consumers want organic food to have less preservatives. Barrier packaging provides the solution.
“About 70% of purchasing decisions are made in the first few seconds, so first impressions and the visibility of the filled product are important, as consumers want to see what they are buying. That's why transparent packaging is becoming more and more interesting, and barrier packaging can be a solution.”
“The common rigid materials which are used in the packaging industry are PP, PET, and polystyrene, none of which have very good barrier properties,” said Bettina Schrenk. “Packaging is not a closed system. Oxygen and water vapor can penetrate, affecting the food, and that is why we have developed different barrier technologies: IBT (inert barrier technology); ABT (active barrier technology) and MBT (multi-barrier technology). With this portfolio, we can create tailor-made solutions for any packaged food product.
