Packaging and Processing Trends for 2009

The growing popularity of ventable plastic bags for steaming food and more concentrated cleaning fluids are two trends to emerge from Datamonitor’s latest survey of product launches in the consumer packaged good sector.

Commenting on the latest trends in food packaging and processing, Tom Vierhile, director of Productscan Online/Product Launch Analytics said:

“We have noticed some recent examples of products utilizing steam preparation; including many from larger companies in the USA and Australia, all based on the development of the ventable plastic bags.

“We’re also starting to see more of these products pop up in private-labels, so it is something that is gaining momentum.”

Illustrating this trend is the new 12-ounce (340-gram) stand up plastic bag from General Mills used in its Green Giant Valley Fresh Steamers line for frozen vegetables.

The trend towards increasing concentration of cleaning fluids, arising from the need to trim transportation costs, also emerges from the latest Datamonitor report.

According to its authors: “Stratospheric oil prices during 2008 caused companies to re-examine how they do business. One realization firms made is that transporting water is expensive and it is cheaper to have consumers add their own water when possible.”

Examples of recent launches include Arm & Hammer Essentials’ line of cleaning products including Glass Cleaner and Multi-Surface Cleaner. These include empty 32 fl. oz. trigger sprayer bottles sold with attached 1.2-ounce. (35-milileter) bottles of liquid concentrate to be mixed with water.

Kilrock Aquo Refillable Trigger Cleaning Spray is a UK product that follows the same principle. “Look for this trend to really blossom in 2009 as the cost-cutting intensifies,” says the report.

Datamonitor’s Product Launch Analytics reports launches from around the globe and traces trends arising from them. “In some cases the numbers are not huge or impressive, but these are our bets on where the activity is going to be in 2009,” said Vierhile. 

Source: FoodProductionDaily.com