A shaped plastic bottle has opened the door for Britvic’s J20 premium juice drink to sporting and other outdoor venues where glass is prohibited. The PET bottle, supplied by Constar International (www.constar.net), also features proprietary oxygen-scavenging technology, which gives the product a six-month shelf life. A low profile closure keeps finish weight down while providing a contemporary look. The new packaging development and subsequent launch are the result of a fast-track joint development between Constar UK and Britvic.

An outer sleeve made of peelable paper from Huhtamaki (www.huhtamaki.com) offers double the billboard for marketers of dairy products like Valio, Finland’s largest dairy company. Valio uses the sleeve for packaging fresh products like curds, cottage cheese and crème fraiche. Recipes and other promotional copy are printed inside the sleeve, and the outer sleeve design changes according to the product, variety, or flavor. An outer paper layer provides rigidity along with a multitude of decorative options. The inner film layer lends barrier properties and offers excellent printability.

Shrink sleeves are a popular option in the beverage category, where both shelf presence and tamper evidence are critical—two good reasons why Spanish dairy manufacturer Grupo Leche Pascual chose an eight-color shrink label from Sleever International (www.sleever.com) for its new range of milk shakes. The rotogravure printed label gives the line a strong family identity while distinguishing the three flavors: chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla. The 75-mL bottle’s distinctive shape helps catch the consumers’ eye, so a PET shrink film that was up to the task of conforming to the bottle’s complex curves was specified. The package also incorporates a Sleevercap, which goes right up to to the cap of the bottle and ensures tamper evidence while remaining easy to open.

Meal in 5! was developed to offer consumers a high-quality, low-cost pasta meal that can be prepared quickly (in just five minutes) and conveniently by adding boiling water. Brand owner Brand Partnership worked with RPC Bebo Corby (ww.rpc-corby.co.uk) to develop a single-serving, on-the-go container that features a distinctive rim with wide handles that allow consumers to grip the container without burning their hands. Offset printed graphics include vibrant four-color photography of the product and of UK chef Ainsley Harriott, who endorses the line. Meal in 5! has been launched in leading British supermarkets and is reportedly being received well.

With DIY home improvements more popular than ever, brand owners and package designers are pushing the envelope to deliver the convenience and ease of handling that consumers demand. Akzo Nobel recently launched its Do-it-Yourself paint line in 2.5-liter and 5-liter square HDPE packages from RPC Containers (www.rpc-raunds.co.uk) designed to facilitate opening, closing, and pouring. The stackable packages feature an indented “smile” that allows for mess-free flow of paint from the container, while the opening is designed to enable easy removal and replacement of the cap. The container’s neck is wide enough to allow the consumer to dip a four-inch brush inside; an integrated handle locks into the upright position to further assist in pouring.