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Plastic Food Packaging Costs: What Drives the Unit Price and How to Choose a Structure That Is Just Enough
For a food manufacturer with steady production volume, packaging is a cost that repeats with every batch. A small difference on each pouch is multiplied by the whole year's volume. So the question to ask is: what are we paying for on this pouch, and which parts does the product really need?
This article goes through the factors that make up the unit price of plastic and laminated-film food packaging, then shows how to choose a structure that is just enough: enough to protect the product, without film layers or features the product does not use.
What makes up the unit price of packaging
For custom-printed packaging, the unit price depends on the film structure, thickness, size, number of print colours, pouch style, converting details and volume. Each factor works in its own way.
Film structure
Laminated film has several layers, and each layer does one job: the outer layer carries the print, the middle layer blocks gas and light, and the inner layer forms the heat seal. Each extra layer means more material and one more lamination step. KOVAA's range has three common groups:
- Two-layer films such as OPP/CPP, PET/PE: used for dry goods, confectionery and snacks.
- Films with a metal layer such as PET/MPET/PE, PET/AL/PE: used when the product needs a light barrier and long-term protection against oxidation, such as coffee, tea, nuts and cereal powders.
- PA/PE film: used for vacuum pouches, when the product needs a tough, airtight film, such as meat, fish, nuts and rice.
Film thickness
Thicker film uses more material. Thickness should be chosen by pack weight, product characteristics and the way the goods are shipped, not made thicker just for peace of mind.
Size and pouch style
Pouch size sets the amount of film in each piece, while pouch style sets the converting work. Three-side seal pouches and back-seal pouches have a simple construction. Stand-up pouches and eight-side seal pouches have an extra bottom panel so they stand steady on display.
Number of print colours
KOVAA prints packaging by gravure printing. The number of print colours is one factor in the unit price, so a clean design with few colours costs differently from a design with many colours and large gradient areas.
Converting details
Zippers, one-way valves, clear windows, tear notches, hang holes and handles are all options. They add value when users really need them. Otherwise, they only raise the unit price.
Volume
The larger the volume, the more competitive the unit price. So when asking for a quote, a manufacturer with steady volume should state both the expected volume per run and how often they order, not only the quantity of one order.
Over-specified packaging: a cost that is easy to miss
Many products use packaging with a higher structure than they need, often because the spec was copied from another product or an old spec was kept after the sales channel changed.
A few signs worth reviewing:
- A foil layer, but the product is not light-sensitive. Clear pouches in PE or PET/PE suit products that are not light-sensitive. A foil or MPET layer is only needed when the product must have a light barrier and better moisture and oxidation resistance.
- A zipper, but the product is used up at once. Zippers suit products used gradually, such as nuts, cereals and dried fruit, because the pouch is opened and closed many times.
- A stand-up bottom, but the product never goes on a shelf. Stand-up bottoms, windows and handles are chosen for how the product is displayed. Goods sold through other channels can use a simpler pouch style.
- Finished pouches are filled by hand although volume is already large enough for a line. In that case, film rolls for automatic packaging machines help cut labour costs.
Going the other way is also costly. Each product group has its own risks: absorbing moisture, caking, turning rancid, losing crispness or getting crushed. If a layer the product needs is cut, the saving on each pouch is paid back in spoiled goods.
How to choose a structure that is just enough
Choosing packaging should start from what the product needs protection from. The table below summarises how KOVAA's product pages suggest structures by risk:
| Main product risk | Common structure | Example products |
|---|---|---|
| Absorbs moisture, loses crispness | Laminated film OPP/CPP, PET/PE | Rice paper, rice vermicelli, glass noodles and pho noodles, snacks |
| Oxidation, rancidity, loss of aroma | Film with an MPET or foil layer: PET/MPET/PE, PET/AL/PE | Cashew nuts, coffee, tea, cereal powders |
| Needs vacuum sealing, needs a tough film | PA/PE | Meat, fish, nuts, rice |
| Product must be visible, not light-sensitive | Clear PE or PET/PE | Dry goods on display |
Once the risk is clear, you can follow four steps:
- Write down the real conditions. How the product is stored, which channel it goes through and how long it stays on the shelf. The spec should follow the real conditions.
- Choose the pouch style by how you pack. Three-side seal pouches suit light, small products. Back-seal pouches are common for everyday consumer goods such as instant noodles, confectionery and snacks. Stand-up pouches are for products on display. Film rolls are for products packed on machines.
- Add features only when users need them. Each option should answer one question: will the buyer actually use it?
- Test with samples before you commit. The print ordering process usually goes through choosing size, material and design, the quote, receiving test samples and confirming the order, and only then production and delivery. The test sample is the moment to check a new structure with the real product.
You can see specific structures in the food packaging, zipper pouch and food vacuum pouch pages.
When to switch to film rolls
A film roll is packaging in roll form that has not yet been made into pouches, pre-printed with the logo and product information. The automatic packaging machine forms the pouch, fills it and seals it right on the line, so film rolls help cut labour costs in mass production. Depending on the order, film rolls are quoted per metre or per kg. See more in the packaging film rolls category.
What to prepare for a quote that fits your needs
A quote is only accurate when the input specs are complete. Before asking for a price, prepare:
- The product to be packed, the weight of each pack and storage conditions.
- The size, pouch style and structure you currently use, if any.
- Design files or the expected number of print colours.
- Expected volume per run and order frequency.
- Your current quote, if you already have a supplier, so KOVAA can quote back for you to compare.
KOVAA manufactures custom-printed laminated-film and flexible plastic packaging for manufacturers with steady production volume.
To learn more about lowering total cost when working with a manufacturer, read working with a packaging manufacturer to lower total cost. For frozen goods, see frozen food packaging costs.
Send your product, packing spec and expected volume via Zalo or the Contact page for KOVAA to advise on the structure and quote.