The stand up pouches are all over the market shelves holding in a variety of packaged products of all sorts. The food metal can is slowly losing the war against the ever flexible stand up pouches. Consumers especially in the mature markets are rejecting the Can in favor of the pouch. The sales of the canned food have either been static or declining and are seeing its share eroded in the pet food segment by flexible packaging.
The reasons are varied. The food metal can is notoriously difficult to open. The can is also the heaviest form of packaging and is hence responsible for a lot of carbon footprint. In addition, there is nothing much one can do to alter the shape and design on a metal can and they all end up looking similar on the shelf. Metal cans are now considered old fashioned and an environmental risk.
Tuna fish, cereals and a variety of snacks which traditionally came packaged in tin cans have migrated to stand up pouches. Further usage is expected to come in the form of frozen food and fruits, cocktails, baby food, cheese, soups etc. Pouches are also being used to package motor oils, cooking oils and vegetables, all mostly the domain of the metal can earlier.
According to a research conducted by the PMMI- Association for Packaging and Processing Technologies, the stand-up pouches with or without zippers were the fastest growing format of packaging.
In another report on the stand-up pouch market, PCI Films Consulting forecasts that the demand for pouches in the American market will continue to grow by around 7% p.a. to reach nearly 24 billion units in 2018, at least twice as fast as volume growth expected in the US flexible packaging market as a whole.
The stand up pouches have become popular over the years owing to the fact that it is made by blending several layers of plastic with metalization thereon and this combination allows for a new and sophisticated printing and designing techniques to be used on the packet. This fact alone gives the manufacturers to design attractive logos, designs, graphics etc on their package which can catch the eye of the consumer.
Another factor propelling the growth of the stand-up pouch as opposed to the metal can is the Aseptic packaging. This technology helps sterilize the package and the food product separately and then combine and seal it under a sterilize environment. This trend is fast picking up and is expected to lead in the coming years. Currently the Aseptic packaging market is at $35.8 billion and is expected to continue the upward spiral due to the consumers demanding chemical- free, natural and fresh food and beverages.
Other basic advantages of the Stand up pouches are that they use less space which means less transportation and storage cost. The chances of spillage etc are also lessened considerably. Many pouches come with resalable options like screw on caps which make the product more convenient and sustainable. Spouted pouches are a popular choice among the consumers, manufacturers, and retailers due to their ability to inhibit harmful impact on the environment, their ease of use, inexpensive nature, and flexible packaging options.
Keeping its commitment with innovation, UFlex Ltd. India’s largest flexible packaging company has invested in large No. of High Speed Pouch Making Machines of wide range for making three side seal pouch, pouch with zipper, stand-up pouches. 3D Pouches, Pouches with slider & diaphragm It produces high quality pouches with superior seal integrity. The machine packs and seals powder, granules, liquids and paste in preformed pouches like center seal pouch, three side seal pouch, stand-up pouch and zipper pouch with or without diaphragm etc. made-up of heat sealable laminated film.
UFlex Ltd. is committed to the growth and innovation in flexible packaging industry. UFlex believes that the greatest improvement in the packaging industry is the flexible packaging. Many of the innovations that have become a part of the FMCG industry are products of the flexible packaging industry.
