Corrugated Boxes Improving Safety of Packaged Food

Published on March 25 2021

The food processing industry is adopting high volumes of corrugated boxes due to the increasing concerns over food safety and freshness, especially during the shipping of bakery & dairy products, grain-based food, and canned & frozen foods. These boxes ensure the freshness and safety of food items during their transport from the producers to retailers or end-users. Due to these reasons, the market for corrugated boxes is expected to witness a CAGR of 4.3% during 2020–2030, which will increase the size of the market from $180.9 billion in 2019 to $284.6 billion by 2030.

Based on box style, the corrugated boxes market is categorized into slotted, telescope, folder, and rigid. Among these, the slotted category is predicted to account for the largest share in the market during the forecast period, as these are made from one-piece corrugated boards, which enable easy foldability because of their flexibility. These boxes comprise separators/dividers that assist in organizing assorted products to contain their movement. Moreover, the fill-in pads and overlapping flaps in the boxes offer extra cushioning to the products, which is why slotted boxes are widely used for shipping purposes.

Furthermore, various types of flutes, such as A, B, C, and F, are used in the production of corrugated boxes. Among these, C flute is the most popular among manufacturers because of its high stacking strength, suitability for high-quality printing, and good crush resistance. The C flute is used in corrugated boxes that are primarily used for shipping purposes, especially for packaging furniture, dairy products, and glass products. Also, the C flute is combined with the E and B flutes to produce double-wall corrugated boxes, to offer structural strength for the transit of heavier goods.

The Asia-Pacific corrugated boxes market is projected to display the fastest growth during the forecast period. This growth will be driven by the rising concerns for environmental degradation and increasing focus on sustainable packaging, surging demand for personal care products and electronic goods, and booming e-commerce industry. Additionally, a surge in the government regulations to attain a sustainable environment and the easy availability of raw materials are encouraging the adoption of corrugated boxes for primary and secondary packaging.

Thus, the widening application of corrugated boxes and increasing concerns for the environment are expected to add to the demand for such packaging materials in the foreseeable future.