Packaging and Product Containers

Functions

Before their disposal, packaging and product containers fulfill a number of functions in the marketing and distribution process. Most essentially, packaging [Page 647]houses and protects the product. Some products may be fragile and require packaging that can absorb shock and protect the product from damage. Other products may spoil if exposed to environmental factors like light and moisture or excessively low or high temperatures. Some products, such as chemicals, paint, medicines, or sharp objects, can be potentially dangerous, and packaging must minimize risk both to individuals handling the product through the shipping and retail process as well as to the end user. For safety reasons, many products must be tamperevident or tamper-resistant. Furthermore, products can travel thousands to tens of thousands of miles through the entire supply chain from the manufacturer to wholesale and retail operations before they are purchased by the end user. Proper packaging can ease the transportation and storage process.

For end users, packaging can enhance the use and convenience of products, such as pull-top cans, individually packaged snack foods, resealable food containers, squeezable condiment bottles, and premeasured quantities of detergent. Some beer companies offer their beverage in cans that turn colors when the beer is cold enough to drink or employ other packaging gimmicks to distinguish their product. Though enhancing consumers’ experience with a product is paramount, convenience to the intermediaries in the supply chain is also important. Shipping cartons that are efficiently and easily loaded and stacked into box cars or other transportation sources reduce an array of costs, including those for fuel, labor, and vehicle acquisition and maintenance. If a product's packaging or container makes it too difficult to stock, either because it is an odd shape or because it takes up too much space, retailers may refuse to carry it or transportation costs may be exorbitant.

Packaging and containers must also provide information about the product, including ingredients, warranties, potential uses and benefits, and possibly price. Local, state, and national regulations govern the details that must be included on product labels. In the United States, to ensure that consumers receive fair and accurate information, the Fair Packaging and Label Act of 1966 (FPLA) requires companies, with some exceptions, to label consumer products with ingredients, quantity, and manufacturer information. Amendments passed in 1992 call for the inclusion of metric, as well as the U.S. system, of measurements. The Nutrition Labeling and Education Act of 1990 standardized definitions of claims such as “low fat” and “light” on packaged food, and the Federal Food and Drug Administration issued regulations in 1993 requiring restaurants to adhere to the same requirements for any nutritional or health claims appearing on signs or menus. Many states have adopted recommendations outlined in the Uniform Packaging and Labeling Regulation published by the National Institute of Standards and Technology, a division of the U.S. Commerce Department. Other laws and regulations apply to particular products or industries. The European Union (EU) has also adopted a number of regulations affecting product labeling, including standards for food items that require identification of the product, ingredients, potential allergens, a sell-by date, and the optimal storage conditions.

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