The packaging of crisps plays a vital role in preserving their freshness and crunchiness. Protection from oxygen, humidity and light is essential to ensure that the consumer receives the best possible quality. In this article, we present the best solutions for protecting your crisps with effective packaging materials.
Why do crisps lose their crunch?
Crisps can lose their crunchiness for a number of reasons linked to poor storage. The main degradation factors are humidity, oxygen and light. When exposed to air, the oils in crisps oxidise, giving them a rancid taste. What’s more, moisture can soften crisps, making them less pleasant to eat.
Quality chip packaging plays a key role in protecting your products from these factors. The barrier materials used in the design of the sachets create a hermetically sealed environment that preserves the freshness of the crisps throughout their shelf life at the point of sale and beyond. A good bag of crisps maintains the look and taste of the product, offering a better consumer experience.
The different types of barrier film to protect your crisps
Barrier films are designed to offer optimum protection against oxygen, moisture and light. These materials are essential for guaranteeing long shelf life, but each type of film offers distinct advantages and disadvantages. Here are the materials most commonly used for packaging crisps.
PE EVOH: This film combines polyethylene (PE) and ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH) to provide an excellent barrier against oxygen. This material is particularly well suited to products requiring protection against oxidation, while being recyclable.
MET PET: Metallized polyester (MET PET) is a film that is highly effective against light and oxygen, guaranteeing optimum protection for chips against UV rays. However, this material cannot be recycled.
MET BOPP: Metallized oriented polypropylene film (MET BOPP) is an economical option that offers good barriers against moisture and oxygen. This film is ideal for classic crisps and offers a good combination of protection at a low cost.
ALOX BOPP: BOPP film with an ALOX (aluminium oxide) coating also provides an excellent barrier against moisture and oxygen. What sets ALOX BOPP apart is that it is a flexible, high-barrier packaging material that remains transparent, allowing transparent windows to be added to the packaging while ensuring optimum protection.
Sachet vs. stand-up pouch: Which packaging should you choose?
Once you’ve chosen the right material, it’s essential to select the right packaging format for your crisps. There are two main options: the sachet and the stand-up pouch. The choice between these two options depends on many factors, including production quantity, the desired visual impact and the nature of the product.
Sachet with Rollstock
The rollstock sachet is a solution commonly used on automated production lines. It can be used to pack crisps in large quantities, offering a fast, economical solution. This method is particularly effective for classic crisps, where the main objective is to protect the product at the lowest possible cost.
Chipizh has opted for packaging using a rollstock film with an 18µm Matte BOPP / 30µm MET BOPP structure for its crisps. This solution enables Chipizh to keep its crisps fresh for an extended period.
Stand-up bag for crisps
Stand-up pouches are becoming increasingly popular, especially for premium crisps. It looks better and stands out on the shelf thanks to its ability to stand upright, making it more visible to consumers. This type of packaging is often chosen for top-of-the-range products such as tortilla chips or plantain chips. What’s more, it provides better protection against moisture and oxygen, offering extended shelf life.
Nach Fresh chose a stand-up pouch with a 12µm PET / 12µm MET PET / 63µm PE structure for its plantain crisps. This combination guarantees not only better visibility on the shelves but also increased protection against moisture and oxidation.
Choose packaging that protects your crisps!
Contact us today for a tailor-made packaging solution and find out more about our high-performance barrier films.
