Rising much above just a metaphor, flexible packaging has actually offered unprecedented flexibility to consumers to buy and consume quantities only that they require at a given point in time. This metamorphosis was brought about in the early eighties when Mr. Ashok Chaturvedi, Founder of UFlex had introduced the concept of unit pack in the Indian market. It was the turning point in the Indian FMCG sector.
Innovation has ever since been the mainstay of the flexible packaging industry. Consumers today demand convenience, sustainability, quality assurance, and the flexible packaging industry is perfectly delivering on the promise. For many years now, stand up pouches have been adding glamour on the shelf space with interesting shapes, designs and colour schemes. But now as trends change and so does customer’s preferences, stick packs, those long, thin skinny containers that can hold everything from chocolate to medicine potions to face creams are selling like hot cakes in the market. Stick packs draw their lineage from the unit packs.
Today stick packaging seem to be leaving conventional packaging behind in the race. Markets & Markets has recently predicted a market worth of $316.61 million by 2020, growing at a CAGR of 6.26% during the review period. The growth is driven by growing demands of convenience and portability that stick packs offer, aggressive pricing and rising consumer spends and a visible shift from rigid to flexible packaging.
Some of the factors attributable to the growing popularity of Stick packaging are:
- Uses 10-40% less film per impression than rectangular pouches, translating into savings per-unit
- It is suitable for dry or liquid products including hot fills,
- The slim design caters to single use convenience across all age groups
- The package offers ease of use by controlled opening and dispensing without spillage
- Since it is smaller than a sugar pack or portion pack, the carbon footprint too is lesser compared to other forms of packaging
Cutting edge modern technology has enhanced the quality of stick packaging making it an effective tool of marketing for leading products and brands. As the universal acceptance of stick packaging continues to grow, be if coffee, spices, juices, creamers, yogurt, cosmetics, chocolates, detergents, pharmaceutical products or motor oils, stick packaging is working out to be applicable to nearly all sorts of goods, consumer or industrial.
Stick pack represents ingenious approach towards product packaging. An innovative design that catches the eye of the consumer on the shelf is a critical factor driving sales volumes and enhancing brand image. Combine that with the convenience and durability this form offers, it’s a win-win situation for both manufacturers and end consumers.
UFlex since its inception in the early eighties has built an immaculate reputation as a driving agent for innovation to create value added differentiation for its customers across the globe. Integrated within its core business profile of films and packaging products are allied businesses like Engineering, Cylinders, Chemicals and Holography that further give UFlex a superior edge above competition.
