Key takeaways
- Packaging: the container that comes into direct contact with the product (tube, bottle, cartridge, can, pouch) and, by extension, the process of filling that container.
- Three levels: primary packaging comes into contact with the product; secondary packaging groups together several sales units; and tertiary packaging is used for bulk transportation and storage.
- Functions: to protect and preserve the product, provide information to the user (legal notices, safety pictograms, lot number), and facilitate handling.
- Contract packaging: A manufacturer outsources the filling of its products to a specialized packaging company without investing in its own machinery.
Definition: Packaging refers to the container that comes into direct contact with a product (tube, bottle, cartridge, can, etc.), as well as the process of filling that container. It protects the product, provides information to the user, and facilitates its transport. There are three levels of packaging: primary, secondary, and tertiary.
Etraves offers custom packaging services to businesses. Here’s what you need to know.
What is conditioning?
Primary packaging is the first layer of packaging that presents a product for sale; in other words, it is the packaging that comes into direct contact with the product. Packaging must strictly adhere to the product’s key characteristics and comply with required standards. Therefore, when selecting packaging, it is essential to consider the product’s characteristics: its shape, features, volume, and the information to be included on the packaging.
The term "packaging " is also used to refer to the act of filling a package. When we say that Etraves provides custom packaging services, it means that Etraves industrially fills products into packaging on a custom basis
Not to be confused withpackaging: “container” refers to the item that comes into direct contact with the product, while “packaging” refers to the outer wrappings used to protect, transport, and store the goods.
What are the packaging classes?
There are three types of packaging:primary packaging, secondary packaging, and tertiary packaging.
The primary packaging is the one that encloses the product. It is presented as-is to the end consumers who purchase the item in question.
As for secondary packaging, it groups and packages the same products into a single carton or other material. Its primary purpose is to protect the primary packaging, but its use is optional. It can also serve as an effective marketing tool (such as blister packs).
Tertiary packaging is the container used for many goods. For example, it is used to transport goods to retail stores or to ship them to companies seeking packaging solutions for their industrial products.
In summary: primary packaging comes into direct contact with the product; secondary packaging groups together several sales units; and tertiary packaging facilitates bulk transport—each serves distinct purposes and meets specific standards.
What is the purpose of packaging?
The type of product packaging is very important because it helps drive sales. First, it serves as a natural form of protection. When wrapped, the product is protected and, above all, kept in good condition. In this way, it enhances the company’s visibility.
In addition, attractive packaging (with appropriate and appealing shapes and colors) will highlight the product and encourage many consumers to buy it. Beyond its visual appeal, it also showcases the company’s brand and the product’s legal information. Packaging also makes it easier to handle the goods.
Appropriate packaging ultimately ensures regulatory compliance: legal notices, safety pictograms for chemicals, and batch traceability. This is what makes the product “fit for sale,” that is, suitable for sale.
By whom are the products packaged?
Products can be packaged by the manufacturers of the raw materials or by contract packagers. Using qualified and experienced contract packagers provides greater assurance that products will be packaged properly. They package specific products according to their field of expertise, such as chemicals or industrial products, for example. Contract packaging companies must have a thorough understanding ofpackaging techniques, taking into account appropriate packaging materials, regulations, and their customers’ requirements.
In short, product packaging cannot be improvised.
There are many benefits to outsourcing packaging (also known as co-packing): it allows the client to focus entirely on marketing and selling their product; to avoid investing in machinery and managing the hiring of the necessary staff; and to free themselves from the constraints of sourcing and storing all the components of their product.
In addition, you can just as easily hire a custom conditioner on an ad hoc or permanent basis: flexibility is a major advantage of the packager.
The Etraves sales team is available to provide you with any information you may need regarding the packaging of liquid and paste-like chemicals in small and medium-sized batches.
FAQ — Product Packaging
What is a packaging item?
A packaging item is any of the components that make up a product’s packaging: the container itself (tube, bottle, cartridge, can), its closure system (cap, seal, nozzle), the label, the package insert, or the case. Items that come into contact with the product are considered primary packaging; the case or carton is considered secondary packaging. The choice of packaging depends on compatibility with the product and the regulatory information that must be included.
What materials are used to package a product?
The main packaging materials are plastic, metal (aluminum, tinplate), glass, and multilayer materials such as laminated tubes or pouches. Plastic is lightweight and versatile; metal provides a barrier against moisture, oxygen, and light; glass is suitable for small bottles. The right material depends on chemical compatibility with the product: the choice between a plastic or metal container is the most common example.
What are the steps involved in packaging a product?
The packaging of a product generally involves five steps:
- filling the container to the specified dose;
- sealing (cap, lid, crimping);
- Labeling: label and lot number for traceability;
- quality control (weight, leak-tightness, appearance);
- packaging and palletizing for shipment.
What information must appear on the packaging of a chemical product?
The label on a hazardous chemical must comply with the European CLP Regulation (EC No. 1272/2008). It must include the supplier’s name, address, and phone number; the product identification; hazard pictograms; a warning statement (“Danger” or “Caution”); hazard statements; and precautionary statements. The net quantity must be listed when the product is sold to the general public. The lot number is included with this information for traceability purposes.
