Edible Packaging: Gimmick or Gold?

Edible Packaging: Gimmick or Gold?

Fri Aug 24, 2012

At Sonic Packaging, we like to stay one step ahead of the industry and explore not only what is happening now, but what will be happening in the future. At the moment, there is a lot of talk about edible packaging, and we, like you, have thoughts and questions. Is the timing right? Is it worth it?

Water soluble materials have been around for about 50 years, but recently they are being used more prolifically. Laundry detergents are being made into water soluble pods, but when P&G introduced them, problems arose when children began eating them. So while they may be more convenient, is it worth the danger and the bad press? They now require child-proof lids and have to combat the negative connotations with their product. Will there still be confusion?

When considering using these materials for edible packaging products, these same questions must be asked. While they market nicely, this doesn't always last. When Listerine introduced the soluble strips, they were well received, but once generic versions came out, it took away all the margin. And will you save money by creating edible packaging? Probably not. After all, you must still provide secondary packaging to protect the product, billboard information and graphic presentation. This creates a less cost effective packaging model, as well as extra waste. Consumers are smart; they may soon see the environmental and cost impacts associated with this.

Do you think people will want to eat their packaging anyway? Is it all that difficult to take it off? And once it's been consumed, your system has to break it down. While it can be a fun and innovative marketing tool, there's still a lot of progress to be made, and downfalls to overcome. So, is the timing right? If not, will it ever be? What do you think?
We welcome your thoughts…