Protective Plastic Food Packaging Builds Customer Trust

Brands & Consumers Value Safety First

Brands are more concerned about safeguarding their products against tampering and ensuring protection from contamination amid rising shopper expectations.¹ Consumer awareness of hygiene and safety concerns increased dramatically from COVID-19 and are expected to persist even as the pandemic subsides.

“Consumers increasingly demand hygiene-assured items and single-use wrapped items,” McKinsey says,² also calling concerns about food safety and hygiene “a critical new packaging megatrend.”³

“In fact, the present enhanced focus on hygiene and food safety is likely to become an element of the next normal and a high priority for both consumers and packaging customers (fast-moving consumer goods companies and retailers) – indeed, across the whole value chain,” says McKinsey.⁴

Safety Needs Creating Plastic Food Packaging Demand

That means tamper-resistant plastic food packaging can help enhance consumer confidence and build trust with shoppers.⁵ As a result, companies in the food & beverage segments are attempting to safeguard products against tampering in the interest of health risks posed to consumers along with securing brand trust.⁶ Brands are concerned about the risk of intentional tampering, counterfeiting, malicious adulteration, and falsifying food and liquid products.

Indeed, tamper-evident packaging on rigid packaging like bottles and jars is experiencing robust demand growth. The food & beverage and pharmaceutical industries are driving increased demand. The tamper-evident packaging segment expects a CAGR of 12.1% in the coming years, hitting a total market value of $27.9 billion by 2027.⁷

New Priorities Create Possibilities for Converters

The food & beverages segment of the tamper-evident plastic packaging market is expected to see significant growth in the coming years. The film wrapper segment alone is expected to see 12.3% CAGR through 2027.⁸

Plastics are used in many types of food packaging and containers for a variety of reasons – they help protect foods from damage, provide food safety and extend the freshness of foods, effectively and affordably.⁹

For example, high-density polyethylene (HDPE Resin) is often used to create induction seals, which are barriers atop plastic bottles under caps or lids that lock in product freshness while resisting tampering for foods, beverages, and condiments.¹⁰ Induction seals represented 23.4% of the global tamper-evident packaging market in 2020.¹¹

In fact, HDPE offers many advantages for keeping food and beverages safe and fresh:

• It’s resistant to many organic contaminants, such as bacteria and fungi.
• It’s also resistant to chemicals, meaning it can withstand sanitation efforts such as consistent exposure to cleaning agents.
• Plus, it’s durable and resistant to damage, keeping food safe while in transit.

Shell Polymers Helps Converters Capitalize on Opportunities

Shell Polymers has the resin and resources to help converters assist food and beverage brands in protecting and serving their customers.

At our new Monaca, Pennsylvania polyethylene plant, we offer a robust portfolio of HDPE and LLDPE grades, suitable for plastic food packaging and a wide range of other uses.

Our plant is also home to our Innovation Center, offering commercial-grade equipment on which converters can trial new products without shutting down their lines. And our Polymer Pioneers and Pros can share their polyethylene expertise to help converters develop new product lines and troubleshoot issues along the way.

Shell Polymers isn’t just a producer of resin. We give converters a strategic supply option that helps them grow the bonds with their brands and customers.