Introduction
The objective of this paper is to address the opportunities that flexible packaging technologies present to the cosmetics industry and highlight some of the key findings from the report. Flexible packaging provides a host of benefits to cosmetic manufacturers and consumers. These include cost savings, improved branding and promotional opportunities, increased sales, enhanced product quality and features, and consumer satisfaction.
This, in turn, will provide significant growth opportunities for suppliers of flexible packaging materials and machinery. As an example, Mason in his article in Happi discusses the unique marketing opportunity offered by refastenable closures in the cosmetic industry. This is but one of the many flexible packaging technologies discussed in the report that can provide significant benefits to cosmetics manufacturers of all types. The Flexible Packaging Association (FPA) has received considerable input and insight from industry consultants and cosmetics manufacturers. This has enabled the development of a comprehensive look at the industry and insight into its packaging needs.
The cosmetics industry has largely ignored flexible packaging technologies. While some manufacturers have turned to sachets for product samples, the industry as a whole has not adopted flexible packaging to the extent seen in food, beverage, personal care or many others. The industry continues to predominantly use rigid or semi-rigid packaging formats for its products.
Cost-Effectiveness of Flexible Packaging
A retailer's store brand product is a line of products that can be found under the retailer's name and generally consists of performing the same function as the national brands at a cheaper cost. Over time, store brand products have experienced growth and revolution in all consumer packaged goods categories. National brand manufacturers and store brand products are in direct competition, and store brand products are the area where national brand manufacturers are beginning to see an increase in opportunities in packaging demands, primarily cost efficiencies. Flexible packaging manufacturers and suppliers provide packaging solutions to national brand manufacturers and retailers attempting to reduce package costs and improve product quality for store brand products. Flexible packaging is both the most cost-effective and feasible solution to all store brand packaging requirements and provides benefits to store brand products that will increase the gap of competition between national and store brand.
Flexible packaging is able to absorb the shocks of impact without damaging the product. Materials such as foil laminations provide a barrier against moisture, light, and oxygen. Flexible packaging materials are easily the most durable packaging solution, distinguished from the most fragile form of packaging, glass. Durability and protection features of flexible packaging provide the means to decrease product loss experiences due to damaged packaging materials.
Increased emphasis on marketing support necessitates the requirement for package aesthetics, which flexible packaging easily fulfills. Flexible packaging printing suppliers understand that high-quality graphic printing improves shelf impact and increases sales. High-quality graphic printing is a cost-effective means of providing packaging with a quality appearance, hence increasing product sales. Flexible packaging is the only form of packaging that provides product distribution and protection together. Flexible packaging is usually designed as a bag or pouch, and when empty, the product can be squeezed flat.
This is an important attribute because products that require less storage space cost less to warehouse and distribute. Although this is not an attribute of rigid packaging, it is a solution for product distribution and transport in a package that enhances brand equity. Package aesthetics and increased emphasis on marketing support also result in shorter package life cycles. A rapid change in package design and new package sizes requires minimized inventory of packaging materials, a cost-effective feature of flexible packaging. Flexible packaging fits into the new returnable packaging concept. Flexible packages can be designed with seals that prefer the ability to be resealed or even able to hang on a peg, a feature not found on most other packages. This will, in turn, increase customer satisfaction by providing package reuse.
Manufacturers of skincare, makeup, and fragrances consider production cost reduction as the most important package cost savings factor. Flexible packaging materials weigh less than other packaging materials, and decreased weight results in lower raw material expenses for packaging. The lighter weight and durability of flexible packaging materials stretch product fill, decreasing the volume of product needed in each package.
The cost effectiveness of flexible packaging in the cosmetics industry can be discussed under the following subheadings, which include reduced package costs, product preservation and protection, low transportation costs, and increased productivity and efficiency. Today, consumer packaged goods manufacturers are under pressure to cut costs while suffering from retailer demands for packaging innovations that increase product shelf life and enhance product quality. Flexible packaging offers the primary packaging and retail/returnable packaging industries cost-saving and profitability opportunities that cannot be addressed by other forms of packaging.
Versatility and Customization Options
Environmental Impacts and Sustainability Due to increasing consumer concerns about the environment, many companies are seeking new ways to reduce their impact on the environment. Flexible packaging is the first to be "lightweight" when compared to other packaging materials, meaning less waste going into landfills. In addition, the source reduction compared to rigid packaging can be up to 70%, perhaps the most important attribute when the environmental impacts of packaging are considered. At the end of its life cycle, flexible packaging takes up less space in waste disposal and is lighter to transport to a final disposal point. These options also mean less energy consumed and fewer greenhouse gases emitted. This is a notable difference when compared to a traditional glass jar or metal can, which take up a large volume of space in landfills and require more fuel to be transported and disposed. Starting in 2017, there is the first-ever recycling initiative for flexible packaging.
The program called "Operation Clean Sweep" is to ensure that no pellet gets lost from the manufacturing process. This is part of a bigger picture "The Plastics Industry Conservation and Recycling Strategy" which is looking to increase the amount of post-consumer flexible packaging that is being recovered and recycled. A large proportion of recyclable materials are being incinerated in today's waste-to-energy processes and could easily be recovered. With support coming from brand owners such as P&G and Unilever and many materials suppliers, the initiative has a goal of 100% of all flexible packaging being recycled by 2030. This is a very positive note for the future considering the availability of recycling programs for flexible packaging today is very slim and there has been little activity in the past prior to packaging waste directives which are relatively new.
Which allows for a convenient access, easy-to-use package consumers appreciate. For numerous beauty products already exist in the market, flexible packaging is a definite way to make products stand out and catch the consumers' eye. Flexible packaging can be made in different shapes, colours, and sizes. It also has multiple opening features such as re-sealable zippers or press-to-close sliders, which is added convenience to the consumer providing a practical method to open and store their beauty products. By offering unique packaging that is specifically designed for the convenience of their targeted consumers, companies can maintain and grow their consumer base.
Customized features such as easy-open spouts, stick packs, or single-serve pouches better suit various lifestyles and life stages and might be just what a parent of small children or a travelling professional is looking for. Offering all of these various features in packaging may translate to increased customer loyalty as they are more likely to repurchase the product. High-quality graphics, which can easily be achieved on today's modern packaging materials, will also contribute to an overall enhanced product image. It is also possible to print the same texture on the package that is inside the package, creating a true representation of what the product has to offer. Flexible packaging is also an excellent solution for sample packets, another tool to entice potential customers at a relatively low production cost. This all adds up to enhanced brand recognition, a key factor in the success of a new product or line.
Protection and Preservation of Cosmetics
The transfer to flexible packaging can reduce transportation weight and volume. This can reduce transportation costs and environmental impact. Flexible packaging is versatile and can be customized with various features to satisfy the protection needs of different products. A number of different closure systems and fitments are available to create reclosable and leak-resistant packaging for products such as shampoos and shower gels. Ready-to-use cosmetics can benefit from unit package sizes that are created by single-serve pouches or sachets.
The use of flexible packaging for cosmetics protects product integrity, maintains product formulation, and fulfills consumer needs. Rigid packaging, namely glass bottles and jars, can potentially deposit glass fragments into the product. An example is the recent voluntary recall of a mineral makeup product because of the possibility that the product might have been contaminated with asbestos and cause adverse health effects. This highlights the rigid packaging's inability to protect against contamination from the outside environment. Glass is also heavy and more prone to breakage during transportation and handling.
High barrier flexible packages such as retortable pouches can also be effectively used to preserve the sensory qualities of minimally processed foods. The use of these types of packaging can greatly inhibit the effects of time and temperature on taste, texture, and appearance, ultimately extending the shelf life of the product.
A study comparing the shelf life of bag-in-box packaging and high density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles for extended-life milk found that the bag-in-box's barrier layer significantly improved the preservation of the milk by limiting the permeation of light, oxygen, and calcium particles. This suggests that the bag-in-box, and flexible packaging in general, can be more effective than traditional rigid packaging in preventing changes to product composition by acting as a barrier against external gases, thereby extending product shelf life.
Effective packaging must protect against contamination. Microbial contamination can lead to product spoilage and loss of customer trust. The seal strength of flexible packaging is particularly effective for liquids and semi-liquids. Various forms of flexible packaging provide an excellent barrier to microbial penetration.
Sustainability and Environmental Considerations
Flexible packaging also offers manufacturers both economic and environmental benefits. The sources of such benefits are numerous and can be traced easily through the lifecycle of a package. In the end, these benefits can be summed up by saying that less is more. When it comes to the consumer's perspective, the most notable economic benefit comes in the form of less cost. This is due to the fact that as technology keeps improving, the cost of flexible packaging continues to decrease. Package designs that once called for multiple components can now be completed with a single component. This results in package consolidation, allowing for reduced labor and material costs. Flexible packaging materials provide increased product efficiency in the form of mess-free dispensing and ease of storage. Flexible packaging encompasses an extensive array of pretty, unpretentious, and economic options that will improve the package's overall economic efficiency.
Aesthetics: Industry uses the term "aesthetics" to encompass a wide range of consumer appeal; the colour, style, and overall look of a product. This is where flexible packaging, when used for primary...
Flexible packaging also has a significant environmental edge. It requires less energy to manufacture and to transport because it is lighter in weight compared to other package forms. Flexible packaging uses less plastic compared to other types of packaging and has a smaller carbon footprint. In addition, bags and pouches generate less CO2 emissions in the production process compared to cans or jars and have a much greater product to package ratio. Flexible packaging is the most sustainable and eco-friendly option after direct dispensing systems. Flexible packaging has the ability to decrease food waste and extend shelf life, which in turn leads to resource conservation. These are all strong reasons why the use of flexible packaging continues to grow and improve in the quest to save natural resources and the environment. This is all accomplished while at the same time delivering the functional benefits of flexible packaging for a wide array of products. With regard to the handling of sensitive medical devices and pharmaceutical products, flexible packaging is the only proven solution.
