PAN AFRICAN INSTITUTE FOR DEVELOPMENT

-WEST AFRICA (PAID-WA) BUEA

DEPARTMENT OF BUSINESS AND

MANAGEMENT STUDIES

LECTURE NOTES FOR PACKAGING

AND BRANDING

PROGRAMME: Bsc. MARKETING

COURSE TITLE: PACKAGING AND BRANDING

COURSE CODE: MAMA213

TOTAL CREDITS: 3

BY
NGANG PEREZ (MAJOR 1)

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 WEEK 2:
SESSION 2/CHAPTER 2 TYPES AND FUNCTIONS OF PACKAGING
2.0 Brief Introduction:
Physical products require packaging to protect them from damage and to present both the product
and its brand attractively to a target group of consumers. Packaging provides a surface upon which
to communicate information about the product and the brand, and as such, it is an essential element
of product branding. Through the use of text, images and other communication devices, packaging
can articulate the attributes and benefits of a product to consumers. Packaging also works to convey
the brand characteristics that will position it within the minds of consumers and that will ultimately
differentiate it from its competitors.

Packaging is often the first point of contact that a consumer has with a brand, so it is hugely
important that it initially draws their attention and also quickly conveys the messages that both
present and support the brand. Communicating a brand message extends beyond the information
and visual content of packaging. The physical materials used for packaging products also
importantly contribute to the overall brand statement projected. A brand cannot be positioned as a
high quality or luxury product if its packaging is fragile and low quality. There has to be a direct
correlation between the packaging’s physical attributes and the messages that the brand seeks to
project.

2.1 Learning Objectives

By the end of this session, students should be able to:
• Identify the different types/levels of packaging
• Outline the characteristics of packaging materials
• Categorize the materials used in packaging
• Bring out the functions of packaging

2.2 Definition of Key Terms

(a) Primary Package: Primary packaging is the term used to designate the layer of packaging in
immediate contact with the product; in other words, it is the first packaging layer in which the
product is contained. As such, primary packaging is constructed both with the product itself and
any existing secondary layers of packaging in mind.

(b) Secondary Package: Secondary packaging is intended to protect not only the product, but also
the primary packaging, which often is the packaging most visible to the consumer in retail displays.
The most common examples of secondary packaging include cardboard cartons, cardboard boxes
and cardboard/plastic crates.

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(c) Tertiary Packaging: Tertiary packaging is the type which is typically not seen by consumers
since it is usually removed by retailers before products are displayed for sale. Examples of tertiary
packaging might include brown cardboard boxes, wood pallets and shrink wrap.

2.3 Main Content

As a reminder, Packaging is the science, art and technology of enclosing or protecting products
for distribution, storage, sale, and use. Packaging also refers to the process of designing,
evaluating, and producing packages. Packaging can be described as a coordinated system of
preparing goods for transport, warehousing, logistics, sale, and end use. Packaging contains,
protects, preserves, transports, informs, and sells. In many countries it is fully integrated into
government, business, institutional, industrial, and personal use. In this chapter we shall be looking
in details the various types of packaging, the characteristics of packaging, the materials used in
packaging and the functions of packaging.

2.3.1 Types of Packaging

Have you ever wondered why popular companies such as Apple or Nike spend a lot of money on
just the packaging of your product or why everything is done so efficiently that it is almost like
playing a game of "I spy" to find one single flaw? The answer is simple. It takes money to make
money, and that is something not all industries comprehend the same way as others do. Different
products command different packaging types.

The purpose of product packaging is to protect the product from damage. Packaging not only
protects the product during transit from the manufacturer to the retailer, but it also prevents damage
while the product sits on retail shelves. Most products have some form of packaging. For example,
cometics must have a container and package while apples may have packaging for transport but
not to sell the product from the produce department of the local grocery store.
When considering the nature of packaging, it must be kept in mind that there may be different
packaging classifications or types. However there exist four principal types of packaging which
consist of primary packaging, secondary packaging, tertiary packaging and the unit load. The are
described below in details.
2.3.1.1 Primary packaging or sales packaging:

Primary packaging is the term used to designate the layer of packaging in immediate contact with
the product; in other words, it is the first packaging layer in which the product is contained. As
such, primary packaging is constructed both with the product itself and any existing secondary
layers of packaging in mind. For example, a beverage can, a paper envelope for a tea bag, an inner
bag in a cereal box and an individual candy wrap in a pouch are primary packages, and their main
function is to contain and preserve the product. Beyond this packaging lies the product itself.
Primary packages must be compatible with the product

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Therefore it is said to be the packaging that wraps the product when being sold to the end
consumer. It contains the packaging that is in direct contact with the product and the other
packaging components (e.g. cap and label) that are needed to complete the sales unit.

2.3.1.2 Secondary packaging or group packaging:

Secondary packaging is intended to protect not only the product, but also the primary packaging,
which often is the packaging most visible to the consumer in retail displays. The most common
examples of secondary packaging include cardboard cartons, cardboard boxes and
cardboard/plastic crates.

It could be said to be the packaging used for gathering the sales units in order to allow for easy
handling practices in the sales environment. This process can be performed by grouping the
products in order to sell them to the consumer (e.g. shrink film and corrugated cardboard box).

The secondary package contains two or more primary packages and protects the primary packages
from damage during distribution and storage. Its main aim is branding display and logistical
purposes as well as protecting and collating individual units during storage. Secondary packaging
is often used by the beverage, food and cosmetic sectors for displaying primary packs on shelves
therefore it is often referred to as display packaging.

2.3.1.3 Tertiary packaging or transport packaging:

Tertiary packaging is the type which is typically not seen by consumers since it is usually removed
by retailers before products are displayed for sale. Examples of tertiary packaging might include
brown cardboard boxes, wood pallets and shrink wrap.
It is used to facilitate the handling/ transportation of a series of sales units or secondary packaging
in order to prevent the physical damage that may occur during handling/transportation (e.g.
corrugated cardboard box).

The tertiary package typically contains a number of the primary or secondary packages. Tertiary
packaging is used for bulk handling warehouse storage and transport shipping therefore it is also
called as “distribution package”. It facilitates the protection, handling and transportation of a series
of sales units or secondary packaging in order to group everything into unit loads during transit.
This type of packaging is rarely seen by the consumer.

2.3.1.4 Unit load:

Unit load is the group of packaging in which more than one delivery packaging are brought
together for loading/unloading work (e.g. unit which is repacked on the palette using stretch film).

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 Figure 2.1: Types of Packaging

Generally there are two dimensions of the various types of packages. Whether primary or
secondary or tertiary every packaged product is either a consumer packaging or an industrial
packaging.

Consumer packaging: The packaging that starts from a commercial sales point and arrives at the
consumer as a sales unit.

Industrial packaging: The packaging that is used to deliver goods from producer to consumer.
Industrial packaging is, not always but generally, used to transfer goods to the next point of
production.

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2.3.2 Packaging Materials
Packaging is not supposed to be an obstacle to people buying the products. Anyone who’s
purchased anything from Apple in the last decade knows how beautiful an experience unboxing
their products is. Not only is this an exciting process but there’s an aura of intrigue that makes the
product something greater. Be it plastic, iron, wood or glass, a product ought to be packaged in the
most appropriate way to portray its beauty as well as preserve its content. But what are the
characteristics of these various packaging materials?

2.3.2.1 Characteristics of Packaging Materials

Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States regulates the safety of substances added
to food. It also regulates how most food is processed, packaged, and labeled. FDA maintains
educational information, databases and listings related to food allergens, ingredients, food
additives, color additives and other substances. It accesses program information, inventories, and
databases related to food packaging and other substances that come in contact with food. FDA
provides regulatory and scientific information about irradiated food and packaging. Irradiation
may be used to increase shelf-life and reduce harmful bacteria in meat, poultry, vegetables and
other foods. FDA assesses the environmental impact of its regulatory actions. Therefore,
manufacturers must include an environmental assessment with their petitions and notifications,
unless exempt.
According to the FDA, figure 2.2 describes the characteristics of packaging materials

Figure 2.2 Characteristics of Packaging Materials

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2.3.2.2 Materials used in Packaging
Annual Packaging costs for products bought and sold throughout the world are several billions of
dollars. It is estimated that 10% of the overall cost of all retail products is packaging costs.
Companies spend millions of dollars using packaging as a form of marketing to attract customers
while products are on the shelf.

There are a large variety of materials and containers that are used for packaging. Packaging will
only vary in every industry depending on how the product will be marketed. Different industries
will definitely use different types of packaging but the objective will still remain constant. As
most businessmen would always say packaging can be the difference in successfully shipping a
product to the market in one piece or in pieces. The right packaging material can be the difference
between successfully shipping a fragile item or having it arrive in pieces. Some factors that should
be considered when choosing a packaging material include the strength of the item being packed,
its weight, the value of the item, and whether the package will be subjected to moisture or other
adverse conditions. If you are unsure how much protection your item needs, choose the stronger
packaging material, just in case. Figure 2.3 illustrates the different kinds of basic materials used
for packaging:

Figure 2.3 Basic Packaging Materials

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2.3.3The Functions of Packaging
There are different functions of packaging. Brands should always be aware of all these kinds of
purpose to have a well done plan when they start to create and design package for their products.

The complexity of packaging has increased during the last years. Today, no company can manage
this process without the right technology and the right workflow plan. A well organize program
can simplify the packing process and ensure everything runs efficiently. Basically there are four
functions of packaging which are containment, protection, convenience and communication.

2.3.3.1 Containment
This function of packaging is so obvious as to be overlooked by many, but it is probably the basic
function of packaging. With the exception of large, discrete products, all other products must be
contained before they can be moved from one place to another. The "package", whether it be a
milk bottle or a bulk cement rail wagon, must contain the product to function successfully. Without
containment, pollution could become widespread.
The containment function of packaging makes a huge contribution to protecting the environment
from the myriad of products, which are moved from one place to another on numerous occasions
each day in any modern society. Faulty packaging (or under packaging) could result in major
pollution of the environment.
A study of packaging systems in China (Packaging Today – Australia 1979) found that:
• 17.5% of the country’s cement is lost in transit
• 50% of grain is lost in transit
• 20% of all glass is damaged before it can be used
• 40% of microscopes are broken before reaching the buyer.

While in North America, Northern Europe and Australasia only 2% - 3% of food is lost through
spoilage, in developing countries food spoilage and damage is estimated to be between 30 to 50%
of production. This is supported by information from Russia from the 1970s and 1980s, where a
lack of packaging, distribution and storage facilities resulted in annual losses of:
• 45% of fresh vegetables
• 55% of fresh fruit
• 70% of potatoes
• 50% of grain
• One million tons of meat
• One and a half million ton of fish

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A study by Harvey Alter of US Chamber of Commerce provides strong evidence that packaging
saves waste. It shows that there is a strong relationship between the amount of packaging waste
and the amount of food waste in municipal solid waste (MSW) worldwide: as the amount of
packaging increased, the amount of food waste is decreased. Note this could also be partly
accounted for by the high use of refrigerators in the countries that have high packaging waste
figures.

2.3.3.2 Protection
This is often regarded as the primary function of the package: to protect its contents from outside
environmental effects, be they water, moisture vapour, gases, odours, microorganisms, dust,
shocks, vibrations, compressive forces, etc., and to protect the environment from the product. This
is especially important for those products such as toxic chemicals which may seriously damage
the environment.

In the case of the majority of food products, the protection afforded by the package is an essential
part of the preservation process. For example, aseptically packaged milk and fruit juices in cartons
only remain aseptic for as long as the package provides protection; vacuum-packaged meat will
not achieve its desired shelf life if the package permits oxygen to enter. In general, once the
integrity of the package is breached, the product is no longer preserved.

Packaging also protects or conserves much of the energy expended during the production and
processing of the product. For example, to produce, transport, sell and store 1 kg of bread requires
15.8 mega joules (MJ) of energy. This energy is required in the form of transport fuel, heat, power
and refrigeration in farming and milling the wheat, baking and retailing the bread, and in
distributing both the raw materials and the finished product. To produce the polyethylene bag to
package a 1 kg loaf of bread requires 1.4 MJ of energy. This means that each unit of energy in the
packaging protects eleven units of energy in the product. While eliminating the packaging might
save 1.4 MJ of energy, it would also lead to spoilage of the bread and a consequent loss of 15.8
MJ of energy.

Since the 1980's consumer demand for tamper-evident packaging has increased. In 1982 six people
died from cyanide in the US following the malicious tampering of Tylenol painkiller capsules. The
UK baby food market suffered a dramatic downturn in 1990 after a series of tampering incidents
involving glass deliberately added to the baby food containers. Along with requirements for child-
resistant closures on pharmaceutical and house hold chemicals, the need for tamper-evident
features is necessarily increasing the complexity of packaging and hence its protection features.

2.3.3.3 Convenience
Modern industrialized societies have brought about tremendous changes in life styles and the
packaging industry has had to respond to those changes. One of the major changes has been in the
nature of the family and the role of women. Now an ever-increasing number of households are

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single-person; many couples either delay having children or opt not to at all; there is a greater
percentage than ever before of women in the work force.

All these changes, as well as other factors such as the trend towards "grazing" (i.e. eating snack
type meals frequently but on-the-run rather than regular meals), the demand for a wide variety of
food and drink at outdoor functions such as sports events, and increased leisure time, have created
a demand for greater convenience in household products: foods which are pre-prepared and can
be cooked or reheated in a very short time, preferably without removing them from their primary
package; condiments that can be applied simply through aerosol or pump action packages;
dispensers for sauces or dressings which minimize mess, etc. Thus packaging plays an important
role in allowing products to be used conveniently.

Two other aspects of convenience are important in package design. One of these can best be
described as the apportionment function of packaging. In this context, the package functions by
reducing the output from industrial production to a manageable, desirable "consumer" size. Thus
a vat of wine is "apportioned" by filling into bottles; a churn of butter is "apportioned" by
packaging into 10 gram minipats and minitubs; a batch of ice cream is "apportioned" by filling
into 2 litre plastic tubs. Put simply, the large scale production of products which characterizes a
modern society could not succeed without the apportionment function of packaging. The relative
cheapness of consumer products is largely because of their production on an enormous scale and
the associated savings which result. But as the scale of production has increased, so too has the
need for effective methods of apportioning the product into consumer-sized dimensions.

An associated aspect is the shape (relative proportions) of the primary package in relation to
convenience in use by consumers (e.g. easy to hold, open and pour as appropriate) and efficiency
in building into secondary and tertiary packages. In the movement of packaged goods in interstate
and international trade, it is clearly inefficient to handle each primary package individually. Here
packaging plays another very important role in permitting primary packages to be unitized into
secondary packages (e.g. placed inside a corrugated case) and then for these secondary packages
to be unitized into a tertiary package (e.g. a stretch-wrapped pallet). This unitizing activity can be
carried a further stage to produce a quaternary package (e.g. a container which is loaded with
several pallets). If the dimensions of the primary and secondary packages are optimal, then the
maximum space available on the pallet can be used. As a consequence of this unitizing function,
materials handling is optimized since only a minimal number of discrete packages or loads need
to be handled.

2.3.3.4 Communication
There is an old saying that "a package must protect what it sells and sell what it protects". It may
be old, but it is still true; a package functions as a "silent salesman". The modern methods of
consumer marketing would fail were it not for the messages communicated by the package. The
ability of consumers to instantly recognize products through distinctive branding and labelling
enables supermarkets to function on a self-service basis. Without this communication function (i.e.

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if there were only plain packs and standard package sizes), the weekly shopping expedition to the
supermarket would become a lengthy, frustrating nightmare as consumers attempted to make
purchasing decisions without the numerous clues provided by the graphics and the distinctive
shapes of the packaging.

Other communication functions of the package are equally important. Today the widespread use
of modern scanning equipment at retail checkouts relies on all packages displaying a Universal
Product Code (UPC) that can be read accurately and rapidly. Nutritional information on the outside
of food packages has becomes mandatory in many countries.

But it is not only in the supermarket that the communication function of packaging is important.
Warehouses and distribution centres would (and sometimes do) become very inefficient and
uncontrolled if secondary and tertiary packages lacked labels or carried incomplete details. UPCs
are also frequently used in warehouses where hand-held barcode readers linked to a computer
make stock-taking quick and efficient. When international trade is involved and different
languages are spoken, the use of unambiguous, readily understood symbols on the package is
imperative.

When items of high value are transported the secondary and tertiary packaging may contain
deliberate misinformation with only the UPC providing the correct information. The cosmetic
industry use this regularly, where there is not even an easily recognized company name, in an
attempt to reduce pilfering.

2.4 Conclusion
In today's society, packaging is pervasive and essential. It surrounds, enhances and protects the
goods we buy, from processing and manufacturing through handling and storage to the final
consumer. Without packaging, materials handling would be a messy, inefficient and costly
exercise, and modern consumer marketing would be virtually impossible.

2.5 Summary
Packaging lies at the very heart of the modern industry, and successful packaging technologists
must bring to their professional duties a wide-ranging background drawn from a multitude of
disciplines. Efficient packaging is a necessity for almost every type of product whether it is mined,
grown, hunted, extracted or manufactured. It is an essential link between the product makers and
their customers. Unless the packaging operation is performed correctly, the reputation of the
product will suffer and the goodwill of the customer will be lost. All the skill, quality and reliability
built into the product during development and production will be wasted, unless care is taken to
see that it reaches the user in the correct condition. Properly designed packaging is the main way
of ensuring safe delivery to the final user in good condition at an economical cost.
When considering the nature of packaging, it must be kept in mind that there may be different
packaging classifications or types. However there exist four principal types of packaging which

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consist of primary packaging, secondary packaging, tertiary packaging and the unit load. Whether
primary or secondary or tertiary every packaged product is either a consumer packaging or an
industrial packaging.

Moreover, Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the United States regulates the safety of
substances added to food. It also regulates how most food is processed, packaged, and labeled.

Furthermore, there are a large variety of materials and containers that are used for packaging. Some
factors that should be considered when choosing a packaging material include the strength of the
item being packed, its weight, the value of the item, and whether the package will be subjected to
moisture or other adverse conditions.

Finally, there are different functions of packaging. Brands should always be aware of all these
kinds of purpose to have a well done plan when they start to create and design package for their
products. Basically there are four functions of packaging which are containment, protection,
convenience and communication.

2.6 Review Questions

i. Investigate and compare the functions of packaging with regard to packaging of a canned
product with a fruit like apples
ii. With the aid of a diagram describe the various materials used for packaging.
iii. What are the characteristics of packaging materials according to the FDA?
iv. State and explain with the aid of example the four principal types of packaging
v. Packaging saves waste. Discuss
vi. In modern packaging practice today, packaging is seen as the silent sales man. Discuss
vii. Rice, sugar and coffee are ubiquitous products that we see everywhere. How can a producer
package such products apart, while maintaining their value or their quality?

2.7 References
 Robertson, G.L. 1993: Food packaging, principles and practice. Marcel Dekker, Inc., New
York.
 Lockhart, H.E. 1995: A paradigm for packaging. Packaging education news, 8, March.
 Anonymous. 1995: The functions of packaging. Packaging education news, 10, October.
 Larionov, V.G. 1994: Packaging personnel training in the C.I.S. Packaging education
news, 3.
 Warburton, D. 1995: Personal communication.

2.8 Task
Read the notes on unit 2.3.3 (The Functions of Packaging) and make a brief summary of not more
than half a page

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2.9 Reading Assignment/Suggested Readings
Read this article titled “Pepin Press, (2003). Structural Package Designs (Packaging and Folding).
Agile Rabbit.” from the Journal packaging, accessed from
http://citeseerx.ist.psu.edu/viewdoc/download?doi=10.1.1.926.274&rep=rep1&type=pdf.
October 30, 2018

2.10Reading Assignment Supplementary Source

 You Tube Video lecture: New Packaging Design. Laurence King Publishing.
 Video Highlights: -This video footage shows the nature of packaging in the 21st Century
 Note: To access the video, copy and paste this Playlist
 URL: https://youtu.be/AYXvzoCDCWc?t=11
 Source: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v= AYXvzoCDCWc . Retrieved 3 November
2018,

2.11 Written Assignment

Quite often, when we buy eggs in reformed paper carton containers, we find upon opening the box
that one, two or even more of the eggs are either cracked or smashed. The egg is a fragile item that
can be easily broken if not treated or handled correctly. Consider how you might create a new
means of protection for transporting and packaging eggs, in the form of an outer shell or casing,
or package of some description.

2.12 Discussion Assignment

Discuss the functions of packaging

2.13 Graded Quiz

Will be provided by the end of the lecture

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