A Paradigm Shift to Eco-Friendly Packaging With Liquid Packaging Cartons

Cartons ensure longer product shelf-life, minimal wastage, and comfort, which remain some of the main reasons for sustained global sales of liquid packaging carton. Factors such as the recycling ability and environmental friendliness of liquid packaging cartons have been observed to attract beverage producers to adopt innovative packaging materials to introduce new packaging solutions on the global market place for these cartons.

Demand for innovative packaging cartons will continue to rise in the immediate future. Worldwide, consumers are increasingly inclined towards recyclable, biodegradable and environmentally sustainable packaging, which is likely to drive beverage manufacturers to move away from standard packaging solutions. Additionally, government support for low carbon footprint products has been recognized as a significant factor responsible for the demand for liquid packaging cartons.

What is a Liquid Packaging Carton?

Packing food or beverage is a process used to guarantee the preservation, containment, marketing & information, tracing, convenience and other functions of edible products. Liquid cartons are containers that enable safe transport and storage of fluid products and customized packaging as per the marketing requirements of the manufacturers. Because of these cartons’ convenience, maneuverability, reusability, and environmental benefits, manufacturers prefer them. The products are specifically designed to transport liquids such as milk & dairy products, packaged water, liquid food, soft drinks, and juices.

Beverages can be found in a variety of packaging styles, including cans, bottles and cartons. Among these, cartons have emerged as the latest packaging design. While cartons are usually served with a straw to drink from, manufacturers have started putting caps on them. Cartons are efficient, recyclable and easy to ship. Liquid packaging cartons are also known as beverage cartons, are commonly used to protect fresh drinks and food items, allowing distribution either at room temperatures or under cold conditions.

Why is there a need for Liquid Packaging Carton?

Manufacturers are exploring alternatives such as plant-based fibers in the context of the current intensive examination of plastic packaging. For example, micro-fibrillated cellulose (MFC) breaks down plant fiber to micro-levels and is reconstituted as a packaging material. This process can produce materials stronger and lighter than glass or carbon fibers and can be supplemented with MFCs to reinforce other packaging materials. Robots are also transforming the packaging industry, particularly in the field of ecommerce.
The ability of the robotic arms to quickly and accurately sort small items in delivery boxes has made them favored by manufacturers and retailers. Robots provide flexibility since the arms can be positioned and replaced for a number of jobs while reprogramming the systems to change the packaging functions. Since packaging became a “thing” in the internet at first, it has spread far beyond the shelf in its customer journey. This has transformed in many ways, including in complex global supply chains and healthcare environments, so that doctors can monitor their patients through connected medical packaging.

Advantages of using the liquid packaging carton:

A liquid packaging carton enables safe transport and storage of products such as juice, milk and other fluids. Liquid packaging cartons are available in various sizes and shapes on the market and can be easily designed. Their easy-to-design feature allows these cartons to be catered as required by the packager.
They are easily moldable, cheap, sustainable and renewable compared to conventional packaging systems and add to market growth. Favorable features like lightweight, long shelf life and biodegradable properties of liquid cartons dramatically increase their demand across a variety of end-use industries. Additionally, when discarded, these cartons can be easily flattened and take up less space in the bin. The rapid growth of this industry is attributed to the increase in demand for packaged food & beverages, convenience in transport, innovation in packaging, and recyclability of cartons. In addition, an increase in soft drink consumption is expected to increase market growth for liquid carton packaging over the projected period of time.

Why should a company think twice before using a liquid packaging carton?

Any new innovation that arrives the market environment has its pros and cons. Despite constant modernizations, there are chances of the product having some or the other loophole. This is the case with cartons for liquid packaging. To begin with, the availability of substitutes for liquid packaging cartons is quite high. For example, there is a growing demand for glass packaging that runs with the adoption of carton packaging at a constant pace. With high packaging consumption, the environmental impacts of packaging could be significant. More than half of all goods are packaged in plastic in several countries. As a result, a complete understanding of the life cycle of plastic packaging requires a reduction of greenhouse gases and landfill waste.

Liquid Packaging Cartons- The Present and the Future

The liquid packaging carton market has positive growth potential. The inclination of the population towards packaged food and beverages is a key driver of growth. Consumer preferences for ready-to-carry food have led to tremendous progress for these cartons. The growing environmental issues on the use of plastic packaging, the recyclable nature of carton packaging, and the convenience of using this packaging are some of the drivers that ensure this industry’s proliferation.

Demographics, economics, and sustainability are some of the factors that will regulate the market. Innovation in packaging technology and the use of renewable materials can open up significant opportunities for evolution. Social changes affect packaging demand in unexpected ways. There is a growing need for greater convenience and increasing demand for ready-to-drink and on - the-go foods and beverages. The result is an increasing demand for smaller pack sizes in different food and beverage sectors. Smaller packs devour more liquid paperboard to pack the same quantity of product, leading to increased raw material consumption. In the coming years, each influential factor is expected to collectively boost the global liquid packaging carton market at a CAGR of 6.1%.