Packages provide useful and important information about the product itself and fulfil a lot of tasks even though they often seem to be tedious and dispensable. Thus, packages inform us about type, amount and weight of the product, show the price of the product and inform about possible expiration dates and bear caution marks.

 

First of all a package protects goods and products for example on the way from the place of production to the point of sale. Packages should guarantee a smooth transport free of failure and protect against outer factors like squeezing and crushing but also against heat, light and water. The latter certainly concerns mainly food as well as delicate goods. Without packaging food could neither be stored, transported, delivered or sold. Among the most prevalent packages are cardboard boxes, bags and any kind of pouches, foil packages, tubes, tins, glasses, bottles and shopping bags. Packages which consist of corrugated cardboard are called paper board containers.

 

In trade itself a package can also fulfil another task – it can be an advertising medium. Because of the material used, the outer form and colour of a package it can serve as an advertising medium and encourage and influence the customers purchase intention.

 

Thus, it is obvious that a coloured packing in an up-to-date design attracts the customer more than an uninspired, mousy grey package. Based upon market research analysis it can be said that packages definitely have a psychological effect on customers.

 

Meanwhile there exist packaging materials which fulfil various features. An example is the mustard jar which can be used as a drinking glass after having consumed the content.

 

Materials of which packages consist or are produced of are called packaging material. There exists a broad variety of different substances and materials from which the real package is manufactured. From classic materials like wood, glass, metal, paper, cardboard or carton up to modern plastics with high capacity and break resistance or biological packaging materials. The latter are materials consisting of bio-degradable substances consisting of starch, cellulose or lactic acids.      

 

But packaging material is not only needed to produce product covers but also to fill cavities within the package or to protect against strain and pressure during the transport – the so-called filling material. Therefore, paper, cardboard, corrugated board, foam plastic or packaging chips.

The packaging ordinance exactly tells how disposal, recycling and reuse of packaging material is managed.