The role of packaging during a pandemic

The public health problems caused by the pandemic have made adjustments to all industries and services. Food processing, restaurants and supermarkets are no exception. Experts have identified several related trends in the packaging market:

• Increased demand for individually wrapped goods and takeout food due to the ban on catering and hygiene requirements.
• Increase in the production of medical devices and pharmaceutical products. The use of disposable masks, gloves, the need for more than usual amount of medicines and medical devices.
• The growth of the e-commerce industry.

The main tasks of packaging

A key role that packaging played during the pandemic was protecting the contents from pathogenic microorganisms. People began to pay more attention to personal hygiene and shifted their focus from bulk goods to individually packaged products. Reusable packaging, such as drinks cups or grocery bags, can be forgotten for a while. At the same time, the American company Loop has found a way out of the situation: it delivers products in reusable packaging, which is then sterilized and reused.

Packaging manufacturers must meet the global demand for medical supplies and medicines, which in most cases are single-use and non-recyclable. Packaging materials, which are distinguished by their mechanical strength, protective properties and inertness with respect to the contents, make a significant contribution to the effective treatment and arrest of the growth of patients.

Design

As the number of people working from home grows during the pandemic, the demand for food delivery and the number of orders through online stores increases sharply, packaging design plays a big role. Now the consumer’s attention must be drawn not on the store shelf, but on the screen of an electronic device. The photo of the package should fully reflect the essence of the product and give the client maximum information about it from a distance.