The Best Packaging Materials for Food Products

The number of food products available for the modern-day consumer is simply mind-boggling. Your local supermarket has thousands more food products for sale than it did even just a few years ago, while online food delivery services have seen a dramatic increase in demand over the past year.

But every food product sold needs some form of packaging. Supermarkets are slowly reducing their reliance on environmentally harmful plastic packaging, and fast-food chains are improving their sustainability with eco-friendly packaging solutions. So what are the best packaging materials for food products used by food suppliers?

Cardboard Packaging for Food Products

One of the best packaging materials for food products is cardboard. As the most commonly used material by food suppliers, it has gained prevalence in the market thanks to its unique combination of affordability, versatility and sustainability. It’s so highly sought after that there was even a national shortage of cardboard in 2021 due to increased demand.

Compared to other materials, cardboard packaging is inexpensive to manufacture, which helps keep costs down throughout the supply chain. While it might be cheap to produce, cardboard offers excellent protection from the elements due to its fluted construction, making it incredibly robust and an excellent solution for transit and storage. It’s also recyclable and biodegradable, making it a great option for environmentally conscious businesses and food suppliers. 

In terms of versatility, cardboard packaging has an incredibly flexible build potential, meaning it can be produced in many different forms to suit your needs. It can be used to create gable boxes, produce trays, pizza boxes and much more — making it a super flexible and sustainable solution for all of your food packaging needs.

Finally, cardboard is a fantastic packaging material for custom printed designs. Whether you want to customise your food packaging to include your brand’s logo and artwork or you simply want to add information and food symbols to your packaging, cardboard is easy to print on and provides some extremely impressive results. If you’re not looking to create a custom design, what are some other types of packaging materials for food?

Kraft Packaging for Takeaway Food

Kraft is a unique material for food packaging boxes that can be used effectively to package an array of hot and cold takeaway food products. Much like cardboard packaging, it’s highly versatile and has fantastic eco-friendly properties. Our Kraft tableware is water and oil resistant — as well as having a t-lock closure to prevent spillages — but alongside its impressive functionality, it’s also 100% recyclable, home-compostable and biodegradable.

Available in several different shapes, sizes and designs, you can package anything, from burgers to cakes. Whether you’re a food vendor looking for a more eco-friendly solution for your takeaways or a new baking business operating out of your kitchen, you can package delicious desserts and piping hot main courses without affecting the environment with Kraft boxes, bowls and food trays.

The Use of Aluminum Packaging in the Food Industry

Aluminium is well-suited to some types of drinks products and takeaways. Unlike cardboard, it doesn’t absorb liquids, and while that’s not great for creating stunning visual designs, it’s ideal for wet and oily food products. It’s one of the most recyclable packaging materials for food and drinks too. It’s often used to package takeaways like chow mein and rice-based dishes, keeping food hot and fresh without absorbing water or oil.

While it’s recyclable, it’s expensive to manufacture from scratch and doesn’t provide much in the way of aesthetic appeal for food businesses looking to give their customers something extra with their takeaways.

Is Plastic Packaging Safe for Use with Food?

Recent surveys have shown that plastic is becoming increasingly unpopular amongst businesses and consumers across the board. Once heavily relied upon by the food industry, eco-conscious brands are under pressure to reduce their plastic usage and switch to more sustainable packaging options. 

To rub salt in the wound, recent studies have proven that plastic containers can be extremely hazardous to health, not just the environment. When heated, the plastics can leak harmful toxins into your food, meaning that your customers could end up consuming hundreds of microplastics with their takeaways. It’s better to be safe than sorry, so we’d recommend avoiding plastic packaging for any food or drink products.

The Best Eco-Friendly Packaging for Food

No matter what food and drinks you sell, having the right eco-friendly packaging solutions can help you create repeat business with a growing demographic of eco-conscious consumers, boosting your brand awareness and generating brand loyalty. Not only will your customers love your new eco-friendly direction, but the planet will thank you too!

Need eco-friendly packaging supplies for your business? Explore our online shop and get high-quality packaging used by some of the most reputable brands in the food industry today. Want to create something extra special? Get a free custom design quote from our friendly in-house design team and take your branding to the next level.