Plastics packaging is lightweight and tough, and can be manufactured, filled and packed at high speed — contributing to lower costs and the minimization of packaging in the supply chain. At the retail level, it is an essential element of the brand image, advertising the brand by attractive presentation. The product is protected and the quality maintained until the pack is empty. Dispensing and reclosing systems provide value-added customer convenience. Tamper-evident and child-resistant closures contribute to safety. At the end of their lifecycle, plastics packs can be disposed of safely by a number of environmentally acceptable options. Within the range of benefits available, it is not surprising that plastics are the materials of choice for many packaging applications.

Materials and Development of Plastics Packaging for the Consumer Market takes the reader through the opportunities and performance elements related to the use of plastics materials in packaging. It enables the reader, through better understanding, to make a more informed choice in the selection and use of the available materials. Authors are drawn primarily from industry.

From the Preface: “....From a limited number of high volume polymers, allied to a few variants with special properties such as barrier to oxygen or barrier to flavour loss, a wide range of packages can be made, ranging from flexible to rigid, to meet the diverse requirements of the marketplace...This volume is designed to guide the reader through the technical and commercial issues arising from the use of plastics materials and the basic package types...”

Target Audience: Packaging technologists, those involved in the design and development of packaging, and those who specify or purchase packaging.

Table of Contents:

Technical and Commercial Considerations

Types of Plastics Materials, Barrier Properties and Applications

Structural Design, CAD/CAM, Performance and Finite Element Analysis

Rapid Prototyping and Tooling

Design and Decoration Formats

Development of Flexible Plastics Packaging

Plastics in Active Packaging

The Changing Image of Plastics Packaging in the Marketplace

Plastics Packaging and the Environment

Recycling and Reuse of Plastics Packaging for the Consumer Market

Appendix: Analysis of Polymer Usage for Plastics Packaging in Western Europe

Index