There is a discernable change in some quarters in the choice consumers are making in the shape and form of containers they prefer -and that is opening up new opportunities for self-adhesive labels.Jan Frederik Vink, President of FINAT, said: - Historically, with many consumer products, retail customers had few choices - either a box, paper bag or a tin. This was often because of the very nature of the product but with the introduction of many new forms of traditional products we are seeing an emerging preference by consumers to buy these products in plastic containers which give visual evidence, usually through a transparent stripe, of howmuch remains and which are much more tactile and easier to handle.
In his opinion laundry products have seen a strong trend away from powders and into liquids which require bottles -and self-adhesive labels are the best form of product decoration. Similarly, in the bathroom, the move to liquid soap, shampoo and tooth paste dispensers lends itself to the use of self-adhesive decorations.
- But it is not confined to liquid products -dish washer powders are appearing increasingly in bottles.The same is happening with some forms of food such as ready-mixed sauces, mustards, herb pastes and deserts such as ice cream sauces, which are being packed in squeezable containers and the compatibility and flexibility of a self-adhesive label makes it the ideal choice - said Vink.
The motorist has seen the move away from engine oil in tins to plastic bottles, usually incorporating a useful pouring device and a visible indicator of how much has been used.
Vink added also: - This change in consumer preference is forcing manymanufacturers to re-think their packaging policies and introduce alternatives that are more user-friendly and attractive while being easier to handle - and the self-adhesive label is the natural accompaniment to this change. There is an equally important factor in this thinking -recycling. Self-adhesives can be printed on a wide variety of substrates that are compatible to the containermaterial and thus easier to recycle.
