This Q&A is brought to you by Inline Plastics.

What are some top-of-mind trends you’re seeing in the world of food packaging?

There has been an increased emphasis on sustainability, such as reducing the carbon footprint and environmental impacts of packaging, leading to a high demand for reusable and recyclable packaging. To address these trends, companies in the industry have been developing new formulas to create recyclable and reusable packing. At Inline Plastics, the PET material used is third-party certified as made with 10% post-consumer content.

Another trend we have been seeing is that as third-party delivery services continue to become more popular, tamper-protection technology and leak-resistant seals have become essential, as products are being transferred between more hands.

Can you share an overall sense of how the increase in delivery is changing packaging?

The rise in food delivery services motivated Inline Plastics to continue with innovation in the tamper protection field. With more people handling the food, consumers want to know that their food stays protected and safe from any contamination.

Inline Plastics packaging includes a tamper-evident and tamper-resistant tear strip so that consumers can be sure that, as long as the tear strip has not been torn, they are the first ones to open their food.

At the same time, delivery drivers want to keep their vehicles clean, so leak-resistant seals are more important than ever. Inline Plastics’ leak-resistant shield is designed so that no excess liquids will escape the packaging.

Also, since food cools down during travel, many consumers will want to reheat their food once it arrives. With Inline Plastics Safe-T-Chef® products, which are designed for hot foods and are microwave-safe, consumers can reheat their food as much as they want with the option of resealing their package and saving the food for later.

For more on how consumer packaging needs are changing, check out the October 2024 issue of NACS Magazine.