28-Sep-16 Food packaging represents one of the largest and most important global markets for plastic films, and developing films with sufficient barrier properties to protect, preserve and extend shelf life of the packed product is a growing requirement of the food industry and retail supply chain. As the world becomes ever more aware of the wastage of perishable food supplies, the plastics industry must accordingly develop and seek out new advancements in technology to meet new needs and the increasing moral obligations of policy makers. Plastic substrates offer fantastic benefits to brand owners in terms of lightweight, strength, clarity, flexibility and printability but are often much poorer in terms of the permeation of gases, aromas and flavours. Developing sufficient barrier at an appropriate cost is complex and challenging and an array of solutions have been developed which vary according to product, geography and the nature of the converting industry.
The outlook for high barrier films for food packaging looks set for robust growth exceeding the general trends for food packaging and indeed GDP. Global demand for food packaging films was estimated to have reached nearly 17 mln tons in 2015 of which 1.4 mln tons incorporated a high barrier, as defined as a film with an oxygen permeability of less than 10cc. Although high barrier films represent only 8% of the total flexible food packaging market, in value terms the share is considerably higher. When considering global market demand, meat and fish accounts for 32% and is the largest end use application, with other end use applications taking similar portions of demand of around 10% each. On a regional basis these figures differ more dramatically emphasising the social and economic tendencies of individual regions.
