Taking a step back from the glitter and gold of the packaging industry, IndiFoodBev took a walk in the local markets. In our conversations with industry peers or at conferences, we keep hearing that “packaging is everywhere.”
During our stroll in the markets, we noticed that small flexible packs or sachets worth Rs 10 or less constitute the bulk of the packaging. India is largely a cost-sensitive market, so the consumer will generally not prefer big packs if they can make do with small packs, as they come for less. So, buy what you want to use, and not more. However, it all depends on the product.
Spices such as turmeric, chilli powder, or masalas, for instance, are bought in big packs because they are for everyday consumption. But for dishes not cooked every day—such as chicken—the consumer may choose a small sachet. Shampoo, hair oil, detergents, wafers, chocolates, and candies are now available in small packs, and packaging is an enabler.
Another instance is coffee in smaller packs. Coffee is an expensive product. In India, however, it also comes in small sachets at a price point of as low as Rs 2. The 0.9-gram sachet still conveys a lot of information such as preparation instructions, ingredients, storage conditions, where it was manufactured, and treatment post-consumption. The fin-seal of the pack mentions the price, manufacturing, and expiration date in laser printing.
Candies and toffees for Re 1 have dominated the markets for decades. There was even a time when it was available for even less – maybe for a few annas or paise. That’s a bygone era but it is a marvel that there are still goods available at the lowest possible value.
Amit Shah, joint president, flexible packaging business, UFlex, said at World Food India, Delhi, that the growth of the Indian economy has been enabled by flexible packaging. “It made the products available at an affordable price point. Shampoo, tea, oil, spices, or cosmetics available in five rupees or less itself speaks volumes about which flexible packaging is consumed in India.”
To add a word of caution, even though these sachets are popular, they are also a cause of litter in a country where collection and segregation are huge issues. Most of these sachets are multi-layered, which are tough to recycle and so offer little value to waste collectors. Perhaps using more recyclable or mono material could create value and make segregation easier for recycling streams.
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An English-language food and beverage processing and packaging industry B2B platform in print and web, IndiFoodBev is in its third year of publication. It is said that the Indian food and beverage industries represent approximately US$ 900 billion in revenues which implies more than 20% of the country’s GDP. Eliminating the wastage on the farmside can help to deliver more protein to a higher number of the population apart from generating sizable exports. The savings in soil, seeds, water, fertilizer, energy and ultimately food and nutrition could be the most immense contribution that country is poised to make to the moderation of climate change.
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Naresh Khanna – 10 February 2025
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