Beverage Containers
Take
a stroll down the beverage aisle at your local grocery store and
you will notice there are hundreds of types of beverage containers.
Glass containers, plastic, PET, HDPE, aluminum, tetra and many
other types of beverage containers.
With so many choices available to you choosing the correct beverage
container for your new brand can be a difficult decision. The beverage
container you select for your new product should set you apart
from your competitors and make you stand out to consumers.
There are several factors that will ultimately determine which
beverage containers will work best for your new drink. Here is
a guide to selecting your beverage containers.
Plastic beverage containers
Plastic beverage containers, which account for over 60 percent
of total beverages filled continue to be the fastest growing type
of beverage container used in the beverage industry. Shatter resistance,
light weight, re-sealable and portable, plastic beverage containers
are an appealing option for on-the-go consumption.
Two types of plastic are used in plastic beverage containers:
Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET #1, PETE): PET can be semi-rigid
to rigid, depending on its thickness, and is very lightweight.
It is strong and impact-resistant and naturally colorless with
high transparency. Most convenience-size beverage containers sold
in the United States are made from PET. PET has become the material
of choice for beverage containers because it is very versatile
and also cost effective. Beverage containers made with PET are
widely used for everything from water and fruit juice to soft drinks,
even some beer manufacturers use PET beverage containers.
High Density Polyethylene (HDPE): HDPE is commonly used to make
gallon beverage containers used for milk, water, and juice. Unpigmented
HDPE beverage containers are translucent and have good barrier
properties and stiffness. They are well suited to packaging products
with short shelf lives such as milk. Pigmented HDPE beverage containers
have better stress crack resistance than unpigmented HDPE and are
used for products which have a longer shelf life.
Aluminum
Aluminum beverage containers are the second leading beverage container
type in unit terms due to their widespread use in the sizable soft
drink and beer markets. Also light weight and non-breakable, cans
come in varying heights and diameters. The United States historically
has almost universally used aluminum beverage containers with a
diameter slightly in excess of 65mm. European countries mostly
use a much narrower size of 52mm for soft drinks and some beers.
Red Bull introduced the smaller European sized can to the US and
since then the options for aluminum beverage containers have taken
off providing numerous new and interesting beverage containers
including the bottle-can which, has an upscale appearance and provides
a key element of product differentiation.
Glass
Glass beverage containers are slowly expanding, helped by the
entrenched position of bottles in wine packaging and robust gains
in markets such as RTD tea and other nonalcoholic RTD beverages,
where glass’ premium
image continues to be a marketing advantage.
Tetra Pak
Tetra Pak's are used in aseptic processing liquid food packaging
which, when combined with Ultra-high-temperature processing (UHT),
allows liquid food to be packaged and stored under room temperature
conditions for up to a year. Allowing for perishable goods to be
saved and distributed over greater distances without the need for
refrigeration. Light weight, environmentally friendly and able
to form a tight seal against microbiological organisms, contaminants,
and degradation, Tetra Paks are becoming increasingly popular as
single serve and multi serving beverage containers.
There are other types of beverage containers available but the
ones discussed on this page make up over 95% of all beverage containers
sold today.
With continued industry growth and demand for innovation in the
beverage industry beverage containers are constantly evolving.
Power Brands can help you sort through the options and select the
best beverage container for your new brand.
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