Our great grandparents may have preserved food by dousing it in salt or drying it into jerky -- even though jerky is delicious -- but we no longer have to fret about the longevity of our food. With the introduction of flexible plastics came the ability to keep perishables fresh and protected from outside elements for extended periods of time.
Modern plastic food packaging, such as heat-sealed plastic flexible pouches and wraps, help keep food fresh and away from contamination so effectively that packaging experts estimate that each pound of plastic packaging can reduce food waste by up to 1.7 pounds. That makes for fewer trips to the grocery store.
Besides the benefits of food having a longer shelf-life, flexible plastics have also proven to be very cost-effective for shipping perishables. The manufacturing aspect is far less intensive than it would be to melt and mold metal or cut and sand down wood. The process is both cheaper and quicker.
The amount of plastic required, as compared to other materials, is also extremely cost-effective. For example, just two pounds of plastic pouches can deliver around 1,300 ounces -- approximately 10 gallons -- of beverages, such as juices, soda, or water. This would require three pounds of aluminium to do the same.
Even glass can't keep up with the carrying capabilities of flexible pouches and wraps. Transporting equal amounts of glass jars and flexible packaging products would require about 26 truckloads and just one truckload respectively.
Not only do products need to be shipped, but companies also pay for the amount of storage the products might be held in. Not to mention that besides just the distance, shipping is almost always based on weight. Using flexible plastic packaging can substantially cut down on shipping fees and driver fees alike.
Using flexible pouches packaging and plastic wraps is really just a modern savvy business decision.