This is important because packaging has a major influence on the protection of the commodities during storage, transportation, and even in the course of selling the products. That is why an effective packaging solution is a must-need because it helps to minimize damage, contamination, tampering, and theft. There is always some essential characteristics that need to be taken into account at the moment of choosing the packaging for a product: cost, sturdiness, attractiveness, eco-friendliness, and functionality. There are three types of retail packaging that are commonly used which are the clamshell blister packs, the cardboard boxes and the pouches. In this article, I will analyze the advantage and disadvantage of clamshell blister packs in contrast to these other choices of packaging.

Clamshell Blister Packaging is a type of blister packaging that is made of two hinged trays which are joined together at the top, resembling the shape of a clamshell.

Clamshell packaging means clear heated thermo-plastic trays which are of polyethylene terephthalate PET or polyvinyl chloride PVC which surround a product completely for display. The plastic bubbles also come with an edge flange to enable the formation of an airtightly hermetic seal between the bubbles, surrounding the product in a transparent packaging similar to a clam shell. Shopper friendly clamshell packaging allows customers see the product contained therein without having to open it. Some key features of clamshell blister packs include:Some key features of clamshell blister packs include:

  • Tamper evidence: Ensures that if it is conveyed in a sealed plastic, or if it is sealed in any other way, the seal is easily broken if it is tampered with during transit. This also assists in preventing theft as well as minimizing on liabilities on the vehicles.
  • Protection: It is a long lasting plastic material that offers airtight covering and prevents delicate products from getting spoiled by dust, wetness, etc. Ideal for storing hardware, electronics, toys, etc.
  • Display: Enables the customers to see the product with a view without having to open it. Useful for retail display.
  • Hanging ability: Some have built-in hangers holes or rails for placing the products on racks or hangers bracket. Reduces space used by retailers for stocking baby food products.

Advantages of Clamshell Blister Packaging

Clamshell packaging offers several benefits compared to boxes and pouches:Clamshell packaging offers several benefits compared to boxes and pouches:

  • Tampering Evidence: This ensures that any attempt at tampering with the full enclosure is immediately visible if the edges of the full enclosure are altered. This discourages shoplifting that is aimed at acquiring or tampering with products that are packed in the containers. It offers the consumer with assurances that the particular product is safe to use.
  • Superior Protection: The rigid PET plastic provides shockproofing, vandal resistance, dust, water and general impact resistance to the products being protected. This is because delicate items like Electronics, hardware, toys and others will not be damaged.
  • Display: Instead of a box which contains pictures of a product, customers are able to see the real product they are purchasing. This has the effect of increasing the perceived value.
  • Hanging/Stacking: Blister packs can also be hung on hooks at store racks or on pegboards since the blisters are designed with holes. Another advantage brought about by the bubble shape is that it is not readily overturned and can be stacked on another bubble.
  • Easy to Open: Clamshell packages have designed the exterior to include clear instructions on how to open the packages. Easy open is described as frustration-free and enhances growth via innovations such as tear strips, resealability, etc.

Cons of Clamshell Blister Packaging:

High Packaging Costs: Compared to other easy and flexible box and pouch packaging solutions, clamshells are expensive in terms of production cost. Tools needed to mold each clamshell design means that for every new design, new tools have to be formed, making setup costs high.

Not Recyclable: Although some of the used plastics such as PET used in the production of plastic clamshells are recyclable the present municipal recycling system cannot sort and recycle blister packs. Instead, they are disposed of in some landfills.

Can Be Difficult to Open: As much as they are enhancing some through innovations, some basic clamshells are still hardest to open with a scissor. The same properties that give products a high wear-resistance and protect them also often render them difficult to open manually.

Excess Plastic Use: There is more focus on the environmental impacts that single-use plastic products pose nowadays. Clamshells take more plastic than any other packaging method, therefore, are environmentally detrimental. But they also protect products from the kind of damage that leads to production of what we commonly refer to as waste.

Takes Up More Space: Clamshell blisters packaging also occupy larger space during transportation and storage as compared to flattened boxes and pouches; this makes logistics cost higher. But boxes of course need inner cushioning in the first place.

Cardboard Box Packaging: As a start, let us provide you with an overview of the entire report.

It is one of the most commonly used and cheap packaging mediums through which you can transport a large variety of consumer goods as breakable boxes precisely constructed from cardboard to accommodate every product size and shape. From the point of view of the type of material, it could vary from a simple single walled corrugated paper to a heavy triple walled reinforced paper. Benefits of box packaging include:Benefits of box packaging include:

  • Cost effectiveness 
  • Recyclability
  • Tweak ability for graphics, branding etc.
  • Availability of different types of sizes to suit the needs of the growing children.
  • They allow boxes to be stacked in order to save space and for the purpose of moving them from one location to another.

The advantages that this type of packaging brings to the table include the following:

Affordability: Blister packs or molded trays and enclosures may prove expensive while boxes can cost much less than the above discussed packaging types. The cost of basic single wall boxes range from $0. 5 for each box depending on the quantity to be ordered.

Recyclable: Corrugated fiberboard is generally recyclable material and studies show that approximately 90 percent of the total boxes are recovered to recycle. This leads to the generation of less waste when compared to the other main choices available.

Cushioning Ability: The ribs within the flutes of corrugated cardboard also provide the protection as they help to distribute impacts along the length of corrugated cardboard during handling and shipping. Another layer of protection includes adding more mass like foam, air bags or shredded paper.  

Tampering Evidence: Sincere manufacturers can affix security seals, tapes etc at the flaps of the boxes where they are opened so that anyone can find that the seal is broken.

Easy to Open: The packaging is not complex in a way that it requires any tools or instructions for it to be opened by the end consumers. No complicated plastic cases to be deal with.

Branding Ability: It also allows graphics and printing on the outer portion of the packaging or shelf display boxes for branding. There is plenty of space where one can neatly paint or print bright colors, logos etc. that blister packs do not have.

Disadvantages of Using Cardboard Boxes

Lacks Security: Boxes are also easily opened to allow access to their contents and can then be re-taped to prevent theft by thieves. Products and other commodities may be spiked with other substances; it may be difficult to tell whether a sealed pack had been tampered with.

Not Watertight: Cardboard provides almost next to no protection against the entry of water or moisture vapor that could harm the contents. Another extra layer of sealing includes the use of thicker plastic bags within the premises.

Weak Bottoms: At the bottom of regular slotted containers, there are cut flaps that form a seam which still poses a threat to products upon impact if the inside is not protected adequately.

Hard to Display Contents: While customers may go online to buy products, they cannot get a glimpse of the actual products; they can only see the outer boxes and labeling. This inhibits perceived value and also prevents proper marketing strategies from being implemented.

Damages Easily: The effects that blister packs can shield against may themselves apply pressure strong enough to squeeze unreinforced cardboard boxes and their contents.

Takes Up Space: Clamshells do not nest like boxes before shipping and occupy more precious storage, transportation, and stockroom space.

Plastic Pouch Packaging

There are numerous benefits that pouches have over rigid plastics and paperboard packaging; pouches are light weight and very cheap compared to other packaging materials. Some of the films used in the construction of pouches are varying forms of plastic films, foils and even some pouches have zip closures. Benefits of plastic pouches include:Benefits of plastic pouches include:

  • Very low cost that is incurred for each item produced.
  • Very lightweight
  • Exclude such factors as oxygen, moistures etc.
  • Re-sealability options
  • Stand-up pouches available

Advantages associated with the use of plastic pouch packaging  

Ultra Low Cost: Single simple pouches begin from 1. 2 cents per packet – ten times cheaper in comparison to blister packs. The neatly laminated pouches with barriers safeguarding the contents of various products cost as low as 10-25cents regularly.  

Lightweight: They are considerably lighter than rigid plastics clamshels or cardboard; the films for instance are about 10 times lighter. This is a big plus when it comes to transport costs since it reduces the amount of fuel required to transport the products.

Re-Sealability Option: To consumers, some pouchs have zip styles that enable users to open and close many times to allow access to products without compromising the freshness of the products.

Effective Barriers: Special designed multi-layer films prevent the penetration of moisture, oxygen, light etc. which can negatively affect the quality of the product and shelf life if required.

Advantages and Disadvantages of Plastic Pouch packing

Not Structurally Rigid: As for the crush/impact resistance, pouches are able to provide very low levels of them and need extra coverage. This also reduces its capability of being displayed in retail outlets unless specialty racking is used to put across the product.

Vulnerable to Punctures: As for point sources, sharp edges like tool tips, etc. can easily pierce the pouch materials and compromise the barrier, as well as any seals. Durability is very limited.

Hard to Recycle: Currently the majority of pouches employ multiple film layers in a laminate, which recycling systems cannot sort or process. Thus, the majority of them remain buried in the dunghills.

Perceived as Low Value: Clients usually deem the cheaper packagings such as pouches to be inferior to more expensive boxes or even molded enclosures. 

Minimal Branding Space: While large printable boxes present a fairly large surface to brand, graphics and visual marketing, thinner pouches are scarce in the same aspect.

No Tamper Evidence: Pouches are designed in a way that once they are closed, they can be easily cut and then reclosable by using heat tack method. This means that the contents may be tampered without any obvious signs that could be seen from the outside such as in the case of food products that may be tampered with and then sold to the consumers.

Conclusion

Among all the packaging formats, it is well understood that each format has its advantage and disadvantage of the packaging. The most protected packaging and aesthetic are clamshell blister packs but they are expensive. Straightforward cartons are time-honored champions which provide factors such as recyclability and advertising media in form of printing area. The former is made of lightweight flexible pouches promoting it as the cheapest type, but unfortunately, it cannot effectively attract the attention of customers and is not as lasting. When it comes to deciding which of the packaging factors are the most crucial, companies must compare these factors to budgets, product value, desired retail positioning, sustainability needs as well as other aspects in order to determine which solution is most appropriate. However, the most effective type of blister pack built for durability and customer appeal is the clamshell type, although it can be pricier to produce. They offer features of security, marketing and preservation that are not easily provided for by plain boxes and flimsy pouches.