10 Mar 2011 Innovative drink pouch and sachet successes
Datamonitor has highlighted two new beverages that the market research firm says illustrate the potential of pouches and sachets to reduce the waste, while offering great consumer convenience.
Consumer and government pressure is rising to improve the eco-credentials of packaging and cut down on excess waste. The race is therefore on in the drinks industry to find new packs that achieve this goal and maintain consumer appeal. According to Andrew Streeter, director of Pack-Track – a Datamonitor packaging research service, some new alternatives show significant promise.
Streeter said: “We are starting to see some steps forward and some of the latest innovations may well prove popular with consumers.”
He points to two new finished products to illustrate the point:
1. The SmartPack – an eco-friendly pouch developed in The Netherlands, that has now been commercialised. This eco-friendly alternative for portable water consumption is light, easy to use, and recyclable. Using only flexible plastic, the pouch simply opens when squeezed and closes when released. No air is sucked back into the pouch once pressure is released so the pack collapses flat when emptied. The 250ml size, says SmartPack, is ideal for school, vending-machines, gas stations and public events.
SmartPack’s closure design also makes the packaging suitable for use during sports, dancing and other activities, such as driving. The package uses a patented tear-and-sip closure instead of an attached spout that can drip. The pouch also is aimed at the youth market because it enables children to drink water without spilling.
Streeter says SmartPack is the first consumer pack to bear the “Clean Netherlands” mark – a Dutch government certification system designed to support packaging that cuts down on waste.
2. Rebootizer Detox Shaker – a functional, single-serving antioxidant drink, which is available in North America, France and Belgium. Streeter says the interesting feature of the product is that it contains water and a powder – kept separate and then mixed together when the consumer squeezes the sachet to break a burstable seal. This allows the potency of the ingredients to be maintained and a sachet to be used in place of a bottle.