Packaging Design Brief Juice Introduction Finding effective methods for packaging the high-end juice beverage would aid in ensuring that the customers obtain value for their money. The presentation will include an evaluation of both primary and secondary packaging methods Primary Packaging Functions There are several important functions, which must be served by the primary package for the Juice product. The packaging should be able to protect the freshness, nutritional qualities, and flavors of the high-end beverage juice product. The packaging should be able to allow for easy distribution, regardless of whether the product is under ambient or refrigerated conditions. PRIMARY PACKAGING The Merits of Using Plastic It possesses high levels of flexibility, providing an opportunity to create interesting designs. Plastic is durable and will be able to withstand the wear and tear associated with transporting the juice to different distribution centers. Plastic is lightweight, which will make transportation less cumbersome (Robertson, 2016). Plastic can also be recycled and only uses up a fraction of the energy required to produce new plastic. Furthermore, plastic keeps excess moisture and air out, keeping the freshness of the juice Concerns for Using Plastic Not all plastic is recycled, and that the packaging would add to the growing problem of plastic debris, that fills ecosystems, and poisons animals. Furthermore, the plastic will degrade overtime, as its material is negatively affected by denting, excessive light, scratching, and denting. Primary Packaging Method of Printing The primary package should consider using shrink sleeves, which offer advantages over wrap-around paper labels, or stick-on labels. Benefit of Method of Printing The shrink sleeves labels work for all sizes of bottles, which is especially important, considering that the juice bottles will be uniquely designed. Using the shrink sleeves allows for increased customization, which will add to the value of the high-end beverage juice product (Babaei, Pelvet, & Hersch, 2016). Furthermore, the use of shrink sleeves provides an opportunity to use the entire bottle, as a space for advertising the product. Concerns over Printing Method Shrink sleeves are usually more expensive, compared to wrap-around paper labels, or stick-on labels. Cost may be a major factor, especially when the quantity of the high-end beverage juice increases. The high price point and proprietary nature of the beverage reduces the chances of the concern. Primary Packaging Assumptions The assumption made regarding materials is that the plastic used is free from BPA, reducing the possibility of lawsuits relating to the chemical. The assumption made regarding the shrink sleeves is that the machines needed for the printing are already available. Environmental Concerns The major environmental concerns, relate to recycling of the primary packaging. Efforts will be made, to ensure that customers know that the plastic can be recycled. SECONDARY PACKAGING The secondary packaging should be able to withstand enough pressure to protect the plastic containers, as they are transported and distributed across the country, while also ensuring that the most number of bottles can be placed, to reduce the costs associated with packaging and transport. The secondary packaging will include the use of corrugated cardboard packaging. The cardboard packaging is usually made from arched paper that is known as fluting. Benefits of Corrugated Cardboard Packaging There are numerous benefits, which are offered by the secondary packaging method. Firstly, it is highly customizable, comes in all sizes and can be folded into different shapes allowing it to fit perfectly to the needs of the company. Secondly, corrugated cardboard is cheaper, requires little labor and manufacturing costs, and can be easily recycled, and therefore, more sustainable (Osowski & Piatkowski, 2017). Thirdly, the cardboard provides packaging protection as it provides a cushion for the bottled juice beverage, throughout its long-distance transportation and distribution. Concerns for Using Corrugated Cardboard Packaging The cardboard is usually not weatherproof, and spillages would further weaken the structure of the packaging. The cardboard is also relatively weak and may have less endurance to mechanical stress. Secondary Packaging Method of Printing Direct printing will be considered, with flexography (Flexo), being the technique considered for labeling the secondary packaging. Benefits offered by Flexography The main reason for using Flexo is that it will easily be able to print easily on the rough surface of the corrugated cardboard packaging. The method also has good printing speeds and can be easily set up, making it ideal for working with the corrugated cardboard boxes (Hurley, Rice, Cottrell, & Felty, 2015). Concerns Using Flexo will limit opportunities, as it will not be possible to print quality images or artworks. The quality of the printing may also be lacking, when compared to more advanced methods, like rotogravure printing. SECONDARY SOURCES Assumptions The assumption made regarding the secondary printing material is that the company already has access to corrugated cardboard, from a supplier. The assumption made regarding the printing, using Flexo, is that quality of the image displayed on the outside/secondary packaging does not matter, as customers will not see it. Environmental Concerns The environmental concerns, which are considered, include the explicit use of suppliers who source their cardboard from recycled sources, thereby aiding in reducing the carbon footprint. References Babaei, V., Pelvet, C., & Hersch, R. D. (2016). Color reproduction on shrink sleeves. Color Research & Application, 41(1), 56-63. Hurley, R. A., Rice, J. C., Cottrell, D., & Felty, D. (2015). The Impact of Flexographic and Digital Printing of Fruit Drinks on Consumer Attention at the Point of Sale. Beverages, 1(3), 149-1 58. Osowski, P., & Piatkowski, T. (2017, March). Analysis of corrugated cardboard influence on the protective properties of complex packaging system. In AIP Conference Proceedings (Vol. 1822, No. 1, p. 020011). AIP Publishing. Robertson, G. L. (2016). Food packaging: principles and practice. CRC press