Page 40 - Packaging News magazine Jul-Aug 2021

40
SNACKS & CONVENIENCE | www.packagingnews.com.au | July-August 2021
Convenience zipped up
Closure specialist Zip-Pak is observing the challenges brand owners are facing to balance the industry initiatives around waste – whether that is food or packaging related – while addressing the need to preserve, protect, contain and deliver convenience to consumers for their products.
AS the flexible packaging segment continues to grow, Zip-Pak sees itself playing a larger role in sup- porting the industry to contain waste, drive sustainability and increase convenience, while sup- porting packaging’s primary pur-
pose to preserve, protect and contain the product.
“It has been alarming to under- stand organics contribute approxi- mately 20 million tonnes of our total 64 million tonnes per annum land- fill problem,” says Michael Debono, sales manager Australia & New Zealand at ITW Zip-Pak.
Food waste is the largest organics contributor and the majority of this waste is generated in the household. Identifying ways to avoid or reduce this is important, and Debono says Zip-Pak technology can help.
“One simple way to upgrade your pouch packaging and keep your con- tents fresh is the addition of reseal- able zipper technology. At Zip-Pak we offer proven reclosure solutions for flexible packaging,” he says.
We know once a flexible pack is open, there is a challenge to retain freshness, protection and containment of the primary contents.”
“We know once a
flexible pack is open,
there is a challenge to
retain freshness, protection and containment of the primary con- tents. To manage this, the consumer may transfer the contents into another package eliminating brand recognition while creating further packaging waste,” Debono adds.
“Adding a resealable zipper onto a flexible package is a great way to avoid products being decanted and ensuring the flexible pouch is the primary pack, able to be open and closed multiple times over or until the contents are consumed.”
According to Debono, Zip-Pak’s Pour and Lok zipper is a good option for brand owners who are consider- ing shifting their flexible package into a resealable and reusable pack- age, with the easy-pour spout func- tionality providing product protec- tion and containment with added consumer convenience.
Debono says consumer conve- nience can also be measured based
ABOVE: Adding a resealable zipper onto a flexible package avoids products being decanted and ensures the branded flexible pouch remains the primary pack.
on end of life outcome for packaging. While the collection rates for flexi- ble packaging remains low com- pared to other formats, resealable zippers on flexible packaging are mainly PE, he says, so they are well positioned for recycling streams such as REDcycle for material re-purposing.
“As flexibles look to transition to mono structures we also are ready with suitable resealable zippers to align with the transition from a lin- ear to a circular economy,” he says.
Across the ANZ market there are a number of businesses and brand owners who over the years have invested in equipment without zip- per reclosure functionality, accord- ing to Debono. Brand owners who have done this or those investing in new equipment may assume this remains out of their reach, how- ever, Debono assures there is the ability to retro-fit equipment or review other options such as pre- zipper film or pre-made bags to pro- vide the optimum level of conve- nience to the consumer.
Debono says, “Adding zipper application functionality onto verti- cal form-fill-seal equipment or flow wrapper is not a new concept. We work with many global OEMs, brand owners and converters to retro-fit existing equipment. We have seen an increase in enquires for advice in this area and our technical team is here to help.” ■