Poor quality plastic food packaging can have immediate negative impacts on your business operations. When customers encounter leaking watermelon containers or avoid prepared meals due to cloudy packaging, you’re not just losing individual sales, you’re potentially losing future purchases. These quality issues can damage both your own and your store’s credibility and reputation in the marketplace. You need reliable containers so you can focus on what matters most: serving great food that keeps your customers coming back for more!
And today, we’re here to help. With over half a century of experience in food packaging, we know what makes quality containers that protects your investment. In this article, we’ll show you what to look for when choosing packaging for your product and make it stand out in the store. This can help you make smarter decisions that reduce waste and drive sales.
Essential Quality Components to Look for In Plastic Packaging
With plastic food packaging, we must go beyond merely checking boxes for compliance. It’s about protecting your investment in fresh food, maintaining customer trust, and ensuring your business can compete in today’s market.
Let’s look deeper at what to consider when seeking out plastic food containers for that perfectly crafted recipe that you’ve worked so hard to perfect.
Is the Package Clear?
The most immediate quality indicator is visual clarity. Your customers buy with their eyes first and need to see the product they’re buying clearly. It should show off the delicious contents inside that little plastic suitcase.
Quality packaging should be free from haziness, unwanted color tints, or visual distortions. Recycled content is an important component of sustainability in order to create a circular economy. However, high percentages of it can reduce clarity and add unwanted color tints. These tints may slow down sales, thereby working against sustainability. Look for packaging that balances environmental responsibility with visual appeal.
Is the Package Performing the Way It Should?
Quality packaging must maintain its shape and integrity throughout your supply chain. A properly designed container should close securely and consistently, preventing any malfunction during transport, like lids popping open. The packaging must be well-sized for its use. The walls of the container should be sturdy enough to support the expected stacking.
One critical aspect is leak resistance, which is particularly important for wet or marinated products. That sauce needs to stay on the food, not end up on your customer’s car seat. High-quality packaging should have leak resistance that can stand up during transport and on the shelf. The “gauge” (thickness) of the packaging material is crucial. It must suit your use, whether for lightweight produce like lettuce or heavier prepared foods such as mashed potatoes.
Making Smart Buying Decisions for Quality Packaging
Before you decide on your packaging supplier, several important factors must be considered. Let’s examine each one in detail to help you make the best choice for your business.
Test Before You Commit
Don’t just look at samples in a catalog. Request actual packaging samples to test in your business. Check how clear the containers are under your store’s lighting. Try stacking them in your display case. Fill them with different types of food to see how they perform. Real-world testing helps prevent costly mistakes.
You can also perform a “ship test” for the product. Pack your container in a box and mail it back to a known location. You can see how the package handles transport and whether it was able to withstand the movement of other items in the box while shipping.
Also, try a shelf-life and leak test. Does the package last long on the shelf? Do liquid components stay in the package? Performance matters just as much as presentation when displaying your food.
Think carefully about how you’ll use the packaging. If you’re stacking containers in a deli case, you need packaging strong enough to withstand weight. For items like sandwiches, you might need packaging that prevents condensation. Make a list of your specific requirements before deciding.
Check Their Food Safety Ratings
Ask potential suppliers about their certification scores. An example of a certification is the SQF (Safe Quality Food) rating. An SQF score of 96 or above shows excellent compliance with food safety standards. Also, ask how long they’ve been certified — a long history of high scores shows a consistent commitment to quality. Other certifications include BRCGS, FSSC 22000, IFS, and Global G.A.P.
Check Their Tracking System
Good tracking systems protect you if there’s ever a problem. Ask suppliers how they track their products. Can they trace a specific box back to when it was made? Can they quickly identify all products from a particular batch? This information is crucial if you ever need to find affected products quickly.
Learn About Quality Controls
Understanding how a supplier tests its products tells you much about its quality commitment. Ask about its inspection process. How often do they test their products? What do they check for? How do they prevent contamination? A quality supplier will be happy to explain its processes.
Understanding Industry Compliance and Safety Standards
The Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) serves as the overarching authority for food packaging safety standards. Under GFSI, various certification programs like Safe Quality Food (SQF) provide specific standards and testing protocols.
While these certifications aren’t currently mandatory, they’ve become industry standards, with most quality-focused manufacturers maintaining them.
Safety Standard #1: Quality Control Processes
Quality manufacturers test every step of the packaging process, starting with the raw materials. They inspect everything from the plastic sheet used to make the containers to the boxes and pallets used for shipping. Throughout production, they regularly check the packages being made and randomly inspect boxes before they leave the facility.
They also regularly test their equipment and facility. This includes checking their water systems and air quality and testing surfaces for contamination. These tests ensure that everything that touches the packaging during production is clean and safe.
Safety Standard #2: Traceability Requirements
Good manufacturers carefully track their packages from start to finish. They know which raw materials were used, when each box was made, and where it was shipped. If there’s ever a problem with the packaging, they can quickly find all affected products — right down to the specific box. This helps them solve problems fast and keep their customers safe.
The Bottom Line on Better Packaging
Investing time to understand packaging standards and working with suppliers who maintain high quality isn’t just about avoiding problems: it’s about building a foundation for profitable fresh departments. Every container leaving your store carries your product and brand promise. Make sure your packaging helps deliver both, satisfying customers and bringing them back again and again.
Finding the right fit for you is our priority, whether that’s Inline Plastics’ solutions or another option entirely. Questions? We’re always here to help.
