Are Pouches Better Than Cans?

Better is a subjective term. A Ferrari is better than a Honda Sedan when it comes to speed, but a Honda will handsomely beat a Ferrari in fuel efficiency. The answer to which is a better car will ultimately depend on what a user is looking for – speed or fuel efficiency. By the same token, it is not possible to declare which – of cans and stand up bags – is always a better choice for the packaging of food and non-food products. It is necessary to define the criteria on which to compare them. In this article, they are being compared on criteria that matter most to consumers and manufacturers -

Manufacturers' Criteria:

(1) Cost

To make sure that flour is secure from external factors, it can be packaged in boxes of steel. Manufacturers don’t do this because it will be exorbitantly expensive. Cost of packaging is an important criterion when manufacturers decide on a packaging method. A stand up pouch can cost between 15 - 20 cents apiece. This is one-fourth of the price of a tin can, which can be over 60 cents.

(2) Product safety

Cans are made of metal that provides ample security for packaged products. In comparison, stand up pouches are made from plastic and other materials. They are not as strong as tin cans. Nonetheless, they are sufficiently strong to protect flour against all human and environmental hazards that it can face from during its journey from the factory to the supermarket and ultimately to the kitchen.

(3) Sales

Stand up pouches are print friendly. Manufacturers can imprint very intricate designs to make their product stand out from other products and increase sales. In comparison, printing on tin cans is unnecessarily labor intensive and expensive. Also, the choice of available designs in stand up pouches is much more than in tin cans.

Consumers' Criteria:

(1) Ease of use

Stand up pouches are flexible. They can be stacked into unshapely recesses in the house. The use of accessories such as zip locks makes stand up pouches reusable. Other accessories such as hang holes allow consumers to hang them on wall hooks. These and other qualities of stand up bags make them consumer friendly. In comparison, tin cans cannot be hung on walls, they cannot be resealed, and they are not flexible.

(2) Product information

Stand up pouches have a broad back and a wide front. This surface area can be used to print product information. Printing this information builds trust. Consumers prefer products with clear product information because it helps them decide if the product in their hand is right for them.