As candy and snack e-commerce sales continue to rise, brands and packagers need to keep up with consumer demand. According to Mondelez International’s 2020 State of Snacking report, during the pandemic, half of adults started buying snacks online more often and 69 percent plan to continue. 

In addition, a survey by Accenture found that 83 percent of respondents believe it’s important for companies to design products that can be reused or recycled. 

Brands need to consider how their packaging fits into both the e-commerce supply chain and the circular economy, all while remaining functional for the consumer. 

Challenges with sustainable packaging for candy and snacks 

Candy and snack brands and packagers typically experience challenges on production machines when considering barrier properties, achieving ideal sealing temperatures, and producing a quality package. 

The goal is to choose a closure that aligns with your sustainability initiatives and find partners with similar goals to help you utilize more green packaging while navigating machining complexities.

Specifically with candy and snacks, another challenge is maintaining the product’s quality, taste, and flavors for every use, even after multiple openings and closings.

Resealable packaging can offer candy and snack brands and packagers a sustainable packaging solution without compromising quality, convenience or slowing production. 

Sustainable flexible packaging production

Because of new developments in packaging materials and equipment, it’s easier to produce a sustainable flexible package. Newer packaging equipment can optimize converting and help maintain consistent sealing temperatures more effectively than earlier machines could with mono-materials. There have also been developments in packaging films which give the package more integrity than traditional polyethylene and provide a slightly larger heat differential. 

The right packaging partners can help navigate barriers to producing a sustainable, consumer-friendly package. Previously, the challenge was finding compatible closures that were simple to add or remove from the package. With improved technology and innovation, new closures enhance the quality and overall usability of a sustainable package.

Flexible packaging closures for recyclable, compostable and PCR films

New closure designs help mitigate some of the concerns around sealing and sustainability. Packagers now have access to a variety of recyclable and compostable closures for flexible films, such as the Fresh-Lock 8000 Series, which can require less time, temperature and energy to produce. Packagers can add value to the package without worrying about sacrificing package integrity or sustainability.

The 8000 Series closures are specifically designed to complement sustainable films, something that few other closures have accomplished. These closures can also enable faster packaging machine speeds and reliable sealing, as well as help reduce waste and energy consumption during manufacturing.

 An optimal sustainable solution for candy and snack brands and packagers is adding recycle-ready closures to their flexible packaging, providing a quality consumer experience while taking that next step towards circularity. 

About the Author

Sarah Stieby is the Fresh-Lock marketing manager. The Fresh-Lock® brand is the market leader in press-to-close zipper and track & slider reclosable solutions for flexible packaging. Fresh-Lock products are designed and produced by Presto Products, a business of Reynolds Consumer Products.