CRITICAL THINKING

Packaging

This is a way of transporting, storing and protecting products or goods. This process goes through various levels of analysis before the final work is acquired.

Development                                                                                                                          

Packaging is a technique which dates back as far as early man. During this period, leaves and vines were used to make containers to carry water and food. Since the only thing they did at that time was hunting and gathering.

As they started to develop village settlements, packaging saw some  development to as well. At this point woven sacks were made out of leaves and also wood was employed as a means of packaging.

From villages, cities emerged and hence the development of packaging became more advanced. Blow glass and wooden barrels were employed.

After the fall of Rome , Europe saw no major inventions in the packaging field. During this time the Chinese had invented paper as well as paper packaging. This was a great advancement in packaging,

As rural urban migration begun, the need for packaging to develop was necessary. Packaging was made more durable, efficient and more dependable in its methods. 

In the eighteenth century, tinning was introduced in Europe, in England to be specific by Andrew Yarranton. This development was a big blow to the packaging industry.

In the twentieth century packaging saw a brutal development as more sophisticated methods were employed. For instance in the 1960's polyethylene was discovered and was the preferred packaging. Other packaging methods such as bottling and cartons were used.

Also producers found it necessary to print out their logos and labels on their packaging since they identified that people preferred to buy a particular brand of a product.

 Steps

Primary packaging

This refers to the immediate packaging in which the product is placed directly.

Secondary packaging                                                                                                            

                               

This is the packaging that contains the primary package.

Tertiary packaging                                                                                                               

This step concerns itself with storage means such as warehouses.

• Functions                                                                                                                                  
• Packaging is done for the following functions                                                                  
• To protect  product from any external threat

To identify products

• To contain product
• To make transporting products easy
• To store products
• To inform consumers about what they a purchasing

• Durability 

• Packaging must be able to withstand  different conditions so it can be kept for a period of time without the consumer worrying about the product getting damaged.

Sustainability                                                                                                            

• This takes the environment to mind , hence the material used, the design and life cycle of the packaging are analysed.

Recycling                                                                                                                                 

This is when waste packages can be used to create new products to avoid cases of wastage.                                                                                                                      

• Handling

• This refers to the methods employed in the conveying of products.

• Group packaging                                                                                                                    
• This refers to packaging of products in crates and cartons.

•    Individual packaging                                                                                            
•    This refers to single packaging like putting products in bottles or tins.                                      

Symbols used in packaging                                                                                                    

Fragile                                                                                                                                    

Flammable                                                                                                                              

 Breakable

 Toxic

Radioactive                                                                                                                        

 These symbols help consumers to identify how products in a particular kind of packaging must be handled.             

Problematic packaging                                                                                                           

This refers to packaging that are either one way or the other viable to cause harm to                consumers or are not easy to be conveyed.    

Glass packaging                                                                                                                                     

This form of packaging has existed since 3000 B.C. It is created by melting silica ,sodium carbonate ,limestone and alumina. After the mixture is molded to give the glass its desired form. Despite the fact that it a good form of packaging for some particular products like food, it has its disadvantages making it problematic.                                                                      

Firstly though thin glass is used lately glass packaging when done in group is very heavy for transportation. This increases transportation cost.                                                                    

Also its brittle nature makes it viable to breakages during its handling processes and transportation. This can cause harm to the consumer.

Lastly glass is not easily degradable and not too environmentally friendly.

                                                   

Reference                                                                                                                             

   http://www.europen-packaging.eu/sustainability/what-is-packaging.html                              http://www.uspackagingandwrapping.com/blog/theHistory.of,Packaging.html