Product protection is a must for food and beverage packages, and companies are working hard to make sure that their products are safe and protected for the end-user. Tamper evident bands, sleeves and seals are designed to prevent the improper opening of a product, which could cause damage to the product and brand reputation. 

 

Tamper evident shrink bands are used as a protection feature, but are also often used to establish brand identity and help create shelf impact in retail environments. Shrink bands from Gilbreth Packaging feature safety capabilities for the end user. They can be created to destruct upon opening or leave behind images or text when removed from the product closure. In addition, Gilbreth can incorporate overt and covert security inks for use as counterfeit deterrents. 

 

Tamper bands from Gilbreth can be perforated for easy opening for consumer use, as well as create barrier protection for the cap or closure. The company can print using security inks that aid in anti-counterfeit. The security inks can create both overt and covert features to the band, making it easier to identify as a branded product.

 

Shrink sleeves can be used to create added security, safety and branding for food and beverage packages. Eastman has launched Eastman Embrace copolyester for use in full-body shrink labels. Embrace copolyesters’ functional benefits allow it to hug the extreme curves of highly contoured containers, effectively turning any package into a 360° billboard. 

 

Eastman Embrace LV copolyester is an innovative, one-resin solution and is designed for thin-walled containers and provides a lower shrink force. These are completely customizable without sacrificing the ability to form around highly contoured or complex containers. Embrace copolyesters have the capability to cover both the lid and cap, for a full shrink label with tamper evident features. Brown-Forman Beverages used Eastman Embrace LV copolyester for shrink film labels covering the entire 70cl bottle of Southern Comfort liquor for a limited edition package launched in the UK. The shrink label includes the neck and cap, acting as a tamper evident seal and giving the impression of a wrapped gift.

 

A new line of closures from Portola Packaging are cost-effective, eco-conscious and easy to use. GreenLyte is a new line of plug-seal, high-density polyethylene 38 millimeter closures for single and multiserve, hot-fill and aseptic beverage packaging applications. 

 

GreenLyte are one-piece closures that represent a cost-effective, performance-driven alternative to the traditional two-piece (closure plus liner) polypropylene types typically used for juices, ready-to-drink teas and high-end, aseptic-filled beverage products.

 

“Our internal tests show that GreenLyte closures equal or exceed performance attributes offered by traditional two-piece closures. Additionally, the one-piece plug design reduces costs for brand owners due to shell lightweighting, liner elimination and material choice,” says Roy Robinson, vice president of business development, Portola Packaging. 

 

Because the GreenLyte line is made from high-density polyethylene, resin is less expensive than pricing volatility-prone polypropylene, which is the material from which most two-piece closures are made. In addition to cost savings, these closures also find favor in consumer eyes. 

 

“Two-piece closures have also been known to be difficult for consumers to open. The thermoplastic elastomer liner material tends to drag across the top of the finish requiring a significant amount of torque to access the contents. Because the GreenLyte’s plug construction eliminates the need for a liner, opening issues no longer exist,” says Robinson.

 

Advances in the materials behind tamper evident packaging are evolving for consumer safety, ease of use, brand recognition and package integrity. 

 

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High- speed perforation technology enhances product integrity and shelf life