PACKING AND PACKAGING

Meaning:

Packing means, the wrapping and creating of goods before they are

transported.

Packaging is a part of packing, which means placing the goods in small

packages like bags, boxes, bottles or parcels for sale to the ultimate

consumers. In other words, it means putting goods on the market in the

size and pack which are convenient for the buyers.

 TYPES OF PACKAGING

1) Primary or Sales Packaging:

Sales packaging is the packaging of goods for delivery to the final consumer. The
example of this type of packaging are one litre/half litre packs of milk, 5- 10 kg packs of
wheat flour, 200 gm/ 500 gm/ 1 Kg packets of spices etc.
2) Secondary or Group Packaging:
it is the packaging of a group of consumer packets. Such packaging is removed to
bring out a number of consumer packets. Removal of secondary package does not affect
the basic quality and quantity of the final packets meant for sale to the consumers. The
examples are plastic containers in which 10 or 20 packets of one litre milk or bread are
packaged.
3) Tertiary or Transport Packaging:
This kind of packaging is designed to facilitate handling and transportation of a
number of secondary packages to prevent physical damages during transportation. The
examples are packaging of 10 or 20 secondary packages into big wooden cases or
hundreds of secondary packages in shipping containers.
ADVANTAGES OF PACKING AND PACKAGING
1) It protects goods against breakage, spoilage, leakage during their movement from the
production to the ultimate consumers.
2) The packaging of some commodities involves compression, which reduces the bulk like
cotton, jute and wool.
3) It facilitates the handling of the commodity, specially such fruits as apples, mangoes etc.
during storage and transportation.
4) It helps in quality identification, product differentiation, branding and advertisement of
the products, eg. Amul ghee, Amul butter.
5) Packaging helps in reducing the marketing costs by reducing the handling and retailing
costs.
6) It helps in checking adulteration.
7) Packaging ensures cleanliness of the products.
8) Packaging with labelling facilitates the conveying of instructions to the buyers as to how
to use or preserve the commodity.
 CHARACTERISTICS OF PACKAGING MATERIALS

1) Protective Strength:
The materials used for packaging must have enough strength to protect the goods
from breakage, leakage and spoilage.
2) Attractive:
The material used for packaging must be attractive to tempt the onlooker to try it.
3) Consumer Convenience:
The packaging material should be used and the packets be made of such size as is
convenient and suits the needs of the consumers.
4) Economy:
it must be cheap and the material used in packaging should be useful for domestic
and other purposes after the use of the contents. In case the material cannot be reused, it
must be bio-degradable.
5) Free from Chemical Reaction:
Packaging material should not give rise to any adverse chemical reaction and should
conform to the safety standards prescribed by the health authorities.
 MATERIALS USED FOR PACKAGING
1) Food grains, Oilseeds and Sugar are generally packaged in gunny bags made of Jute.
2) For Fresh Fruits generally wooden crates and straw board boxes or bamboo baskets
are used.
Some other materials are also used.
a) Polythene foam wrappers for high value mangoes.
b) thermoformed PVC trays. c) wrappers using tissue papers.
d) plastic trays. e) Plastic nets with convenient handled.
f) multicolour printed duplex/corrugated board cartons.
3) Vegetables are normally packed in
a) Jute Boxes b) Bamboo baskets and wooden boxes
c) CFB (Corrugated fibre Board Boxes) d) Plastics.
4) For Processed Food
a) Tin containers
b) Glass Containers
c) Polyethylene
d) Aluminium foils
e) Polylaminate Pouches.