Just by walking down the aisles of your local grocery store, you’ll notice that many food products are packed in clear plastic boxes packaging. For those food items that feature more opaque packaging, you might end up seeing a transparent portion in which consumers are able to see the actual food product within the outer-layer of packaging.

Food Packaging of the Past

Today’s standard for transparent food packaging is much different than it was decades ago. Previously, thick and opaque packaging solutions were the norm as they were better able to limit light exposure and moisture which could lead to food spoilage.

Today, food packaging technology has advanced so that we are able to effectively manufacture transparent packaging solutions that are just as durable as the thick, opaque packaging of the past. A grand majority of food manufacturers select packaging with varying degrees of transparency, instead of opaque packaging that depicts an image of the food product instead of displaying the food product directly.

The Embrace for Clear Plastic Boxes Packaging

The reason for why so many food manufacturers embrace clear plastic boxes packaging isn’t just for aesthetic packaging quality. Studies have shown that food manufacturers who opt for transparent packaging tend to do better in sales than food manufacturers that opt for opaque packaging solutions.

Consumer preference for transparent packaging is based on the ability for the customer to actually see the food product and assess its freshness and nutritional transparency. In some sense, this allows consumers to eat with their eyes, when making a decision on whether or not to make a purchase. Seeing the actual textures and colours of the food product is more effective than assessing the freshness of food product image. Clear packaging enable consumers to see what they’re getting – which is where more opaque packaging solutions fall short.

Food Packaging of the Future

Just as product packaging technology has evolved, so too has nutritional science. It’s no secret that maintaining a healthy and nutritious diet is essential to avoiding many health-related diseases. It is for this reason that consumer ability to assess the freshness of a given food product is important when thinking about the future of food product packaging.