Consumers value convenience packaging for being “practical, comfortable, clean and easy to close and transport”, according to research carried out by Consumolab (Ainia center) within the framework of the Convipack project. In addition, today’s consumer demands healthy products, packaged in safe and sustainable materials, without sacrificing an attractive design and presenting easy-to-understand labeling.

However, priorities change according to the specific needs of each population segment. Thus, millennials value “on the go” packaging more: ergonomic, easy to consume anytime, anywhere, as well as those that take less time to prepare food, without having to give up quality or quality. flavor, like microwables. For their part, seniors, a segment of the population with great consumer power, demand containers with ease of opening and simple preparation, of reduced size and weight, and with clear and easy-to-interpret labeling.

Demographic changes, new family models, consumption habits adapted to the current pace of life, a more informed and demanding consumer with a tendency towards a healthier diet … are some of the factors that have modified the needs of the current market. In this sense, convenience packaging is a trend for the future and an unavoidable requirement for the food industry.

According to José Ángel Garde, from Ainia’s packaging technologies department, one of the fundamental aspects that has been taken into account in the Convipack project, “is the validation of the convenience packaging by the end consumer. Consumer opinions allow us to contrast the results obtained at the laboratory level to achieve a closer correlation between the performance of convenience materials and the needs and requirements, both of the food producer, who has a very wide offer of convenience materials. , but he does not know the behavior of these materials when adapting them to the product he makes; as of the final consumer ”.

Selection of more functional and sustainable materials that guarantee food safety

In Ainia, two lines of research are being worked especially on functionalized packaging for food or convenience packaging. On the one hand, in the selection of packaging materials with new functionalities and designs adapted to the demands of consumers and on the other, more sustainable materials are investigated.

Leonor Pascual, technician from Ainia’s packaging technologies department, in this project “we have achieved improvements in the opening of the container, more comfortable and simple, and a better reclosability of the same. We have also taken into account the possibility that the product can be cooked in the container itself. Both aspects highly valued by consumers in convenience packaging ”.

“The consumer looks for comfort in the packaging. In addition, you want the packaging to show you the product and that it is healthy and easy to prepare. To respond to these requirements, food companies must bet on innovation in new materials and functionalities of convenience packaging that also guarantee food safety ”, added Leonor Pascual.

Convipack has the support of Ivace and with the financing of the European Regional Development Fund (Feder), within the framework of the Program of aid directed to technological centers of the Valencian Community of R&D in cooperation with companies 2017.