INDIRIZZO DI STUDI: Amministrazione Finanza e Marketing
DISCIPLINA: English
ANNO DI CORSO: 3
PACKAGING
Packagingis the technology of enclosing or protecting products for distribution, storage,
sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of design, evaluation, and production of
packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of preparing goods for
transport, warehousing, logistics, sale, and end use. Packaging contains, protects,
preserves, transports, informs, and sells. In many countries it is fully integrated into
government, business, institutional, industrial, and personal use.
Package labelingor labelling is any written, electronic, or graphic communications on the
package or on a separate but associated label.
Packaging and package labeling have several objectives
• Physical protection– The objects enclosed in the package may require protection
from, among other things, mechanical shock, vibration, electrostatic discharge,
temperature, compression,
• Barrier protection– A barrier from oxygen, water, vapor, dust, etc., is often
required. Permeationis a critical factor in design. Some packages contain
desiccants or oxygen absorbers to help extend shelf life. Modified atmospheres or
controlled atmospheres are also maintained in some food packages. Keeping the
contents clean, fresh, sterileand safe for the intended shelf life is a primary
function. A barrier is also implemented in cases where segregation of two
materials, prior to end use is required, as in case of special paints, glues, medical
fluidsetc. At consumer end, the packaging barrier is broken or measured amounts
of material removed for mixing and subsequent end use.
• Containment or agglomeration– Small objects are typically grouped together in
one package for reasons of efficiency. For example, a single box of 1000 pencils
requires less physical handling than 1000 single pencils. Liquids, powdersand
granular materials need containment.
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• Information transmission– Packages and labels communicate how to use,
transport, recycle, or dispose of the package or product. With pharmaceuticals,
food, medical, and chemical products, some types of information are required by
governments. Some packages and labels also are used for track and tracepurposes.
• Marketing– The packaging and labels can be used by marketers to encourage
potential buyers to purchase the product. Package graphic design and physical
design have been important and constantly evolving phenomenon for several
decades. Marketing communications and graphic design are applied to the surface
of the package and (in many cases) the point of sale display.
Security– Packaging can play an important role in reducing the security risks of
shipment. Packages can be made with improved tamperresistance to detertampering and
also can have tamper evident features to help indicate tampering.
• Anti-counterfeitingPackaging- Packages can be engineered to help reduce the
risks of package pilferageor the theft and resaleof products: Some package
constructions are more resistant to pilferage and some have pilfer indicating seals.
Counterfeit consumer goods, unauthorized sales (diversion), material substitution
and tampering can all be prevented with these anti-counterfeiting technologies.
Packages may include authentication seals and use security printing to help
indicate that the package and contents are not counterfeit. Packages also can
include anti-theft devices, such as electronic article surveillance tagsthat can be
activated or detected by devices at exit points and require specialized tools to
deactivate. Using packaging in this way is a means of loss prevention.
• Convenience– Packages can have features that add convenience in distribution,
handling, stacking, display, sale, opening, reclosing, use, dispensing, reuse,
recycling, and ease of disposal
• Portion control– Single serving or single dosagepackaging has a precise amount
of contents to control usage. Bulk commodities(such as salt) can be divided into
packages that are a more suitable size for individual households. It is also aidsthe
control of inventory: selling sealed one-liter-bottles of milk, rather than having
people bring their own bottles to fill themselves.
Packaging may be looked at as being of several different types. For example a transport
packageor distribution packagecan be the shipping container used to ship, store, and
handle the product or inner packages. Some identify a consumer packageas one which is
directed toward a consumer or household.
Packaging may be described in relation to the type of product being packaged: medical
device packaging, bulk chemical packaging, over the counter drug packaging, retail food
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packaging, military materiel packaging, pharmaceutical packaging, .
It is sometimes convenient to categorize packages by layer or function: "primary",
"secondary", etc.
• Primary packagingis the material that first envelops the product and holds it.
This usually is the smallest unit of distribution or use and is the package which is
in direct contact with the contents.
• Secondary packaging is outside the primary packaging, perhaps used to group
primary packages together.
• Tertiary packagingis used for bulk handling, warehouse storage and transport
shipping. The most common form is a palletized unit load that packs tightly into
containers.
These broad categories can be somewhat arbitrary. For example, depending on the use, a
shrink wrap can be primary packaging when applied directly to the product, secondary
packaging when combining smaller packages, and tertiary packaging on some distribution
packs.
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