Coding and marking solutions in the snacks industry

The snacks market is a thriving industry in the UK, currently estimated to be worth £3,229 million.

Of that, crisps and savoury snacks represent £2,778 million, nuts £379 million and popcorn £72 million.

A rapid expansion of new techniques such as baked, high-pressure ‘popping’ and a re-imagining of traditional popcorn with modern twists on flavours has helped fuel these developments.

With factors such as the growth in online purchasing, there are suggestions that the use of corrugated secondary packaging by snack food manufacturers is increasing.

Cardboard remains the leader in food packaging (33 per cent) ahead of plastics (30 per cent). Corrugated cardboard represents 3 million tons and boasts a positive image with environmentally-aware consumers, as 90 per cent of corrugated cardboard production comes from recycling. The use of what are perceived to be ‘clean’ materials – such as solvent free inks for coding and marking – can help promote this 

Elsewhere, the global corrugated box packaging market is forecast to grow at a CAGR of almost four per cent over the period 2014-2019.

But growth and increased productivity bring other challenges as manufacturers look to set their products apart, minimise costs and tighten margins. As an integral part of the process, the coding and marking equipment you choose must be capable of operating effectively and efficiently in a demanding, fast-changing environment.