The importance of fast food and restaurant food is increasing with each passing day. It is due to the fact that many people rely upon restaurant food in their day-to-day life. For that, they opt for different fast-food chains and restaurants to order their food products. Due to the fact that there is a high demand for fast-food products, the number of fast-food chains is also increasing. Almost all fast-food chains and restaurants offer home delivery service by making use of attractive happy meal box.
During the Covid19 home, delivery continues to position itself as the best option for consuming restaurant food. As a consequence, the packaging is recognized as a valuable tool to ensure product and consumer protection. Packaging serves to protect the enclosed item and performs many other functions such as attracting customers and depicting the product information.
For this reason, the need arises to understand the differences between what is a package, a container and packaging. Their functions and applications and how they influence the consumer since the current pandemic have severely impacted the perception of the products through their packaging.
Packing
The packaging is the commercial presentation of a product. It depends on whether the content is not damaged and is kept clean and fresh if it is food. The packaging strongly influences the product's sale. It makes a difference concerning other products of the same type, mainly when famous restaurants use custom happy meal boxes to attract buyers.
In many cases, the packaging is usually the same as the container, but they are completely different in others. It is also called primary packaging.
Container
The container is the direct container that comes into contact with a product or food. It has the function of giving an adequate presentation that facilitates the sale, handling, transportation, storage and distribution of the product.
To better establish the difference between packaging and container, consider several individual packages of cookies that are in turn packed in a box. The cellophane wrapper where the cookies come directly is the container, and the box that all the packages come in is the packaging.
In this case, the packaging is the one that brings all the necessary marketing elements to make the product attractive. It is also known as secondary packaging.
Packaging
The packaging is more oriented to protect the product during its logistics transportation and consists of several packaged products.
The most used materials are boxes and plastic, and it is in this tertiary type packaging, the handling conditions, symbols, and identification of the content are included. Cardboard material is also used to manufacture happy meal style boxes that the brands excessively use.
Types of packaging according to their ecological impact
It is likely that, in addition to the safety and health of your customers. You should consider the type of materials you will use to send your products, taking into account their environmental impact since many people care about the planet (this will depend on your target market).
A customer concerned about the environment might think twice about choosing you as a service provider if they disagree with the food happy meal boxes you use.
You may find options among the following types of eco-friendly packaging:
Ethical packaging: The guiding criterion is promoting fair and responsible trade from its symbolic or direct graphic communication.
Honest packaging: Provides complete information to the user about the material that composes it and what should be done with it once its use is finished.
Biodegradable packaging or that serves as food for other species: It refers to those packaging that are not polluting in the ecosystems, but on the contrary, they benefit the species and are a source of resources.
Edible Packaging: As the name implies, even the packaging is 100 percent edible.
Reusable or recyclable packaging: It will always be appreciated that packaging can be reused in another activity or need or that it can be recycled for some purpose, such as; cardboard happy meal boxes.
Recommendations to protect products during shipping
It is always important to consider if what is going to be sent is a product that can be spilt or damaged during the journey. That is why it is important to determine the best packaging to transport it.
Here are some tips for packing the food products that are to be shipped;
If food can spill, put it in a container that is hermetically sealed or at least protected with a plastic film.
Place the products in suitable bags for transportation, arranged to prevent them from falling or tilting and causing a spill.
Use the packaging of suitable sizes to avoid the internal movement of your products.
It is also important to correctly mark or label what you are packing so that it is easy to identify, and your customers do not have to open each product to know what it is about.
If your shipment is very heavy, be sure to send it in reinforced bags, so there is no danger of it breaking.
Finally, remember that packaging is also a way to connect with your customer and provide them with a pleasant experience.