Environmental factors are important to consider when choosing CPG packaging materials. Conditions such as heat, rain, humidity, and sunlight can all impact how well your labels and packaging hold up prior to reaching customers. Here’s what you need to know.

Environment and packaging go hand in hand. Whether you are receiving or sending packages, damage caused by environmental conditions can negatively affect your bottom line. Understanding how this damage occurs is the first step to protecting your CPG packaging.

Heat and Sunlight Damage

When shipping packages, they may be exposed to heat and sunlight, which can damage them while in transit. Sun damage can affect the appearance of your packages, leaving them whitewashed. This makes the labels difficult to read.

Hotter than normal temperatures can also damage the products inside the packaging. This is especially relevant if the packages contain liquids or food. Damage to these products can cause them to spoil quickly.

Products made of plastics or that contain certain paints may melt when exposed to extreme heat. This results in exchanges, returns, and refunds from customers.

Water Damage

Water damage can occur while packages are in transit. You can often eliminate this by using the right CPG packaging materials.

Rain is a common reason for water damage. It causes water to seep into improperly sealed packages, damaging the product.

Another common source of package and product damage is what is frequently called container rain or container sweat. This often occurs with imported goods and results from water that accumulates on the coldest areas in the freight container.

The moisture can spread throughout the container. This can occur several times during the shipping journey.

_{Prevent Environmental Damage to Your CPG Packaging}

Of the millions of packages shipped each year, 10% are disposed of because of water damage. There are several ways to prevent environmental damage to your CPG packaging.

1. Use proper ventilation. Ventilating shipping containers results in less moisture and condensation.
2. Dehumidify your CPG packaging. Dehumidifiers help eliminate any moisture that has accumulated in the shipping container.
3. Secure your products inside the packaging. Consider wrapping the product box in packing materials and placing it in a separate container. This helps protect the product should the outer package become damaged.
4. Use quality materials. This helps minimize any damage that may occur from the environment and packaging. Your customers will appreciate the quality and attention to detail.
5. Consider the design. CPG packaging design influences buyer behavior. Research shows between 62% and 90% of product perception is based on color. Along with quality, think about the packaging colors you use and whether they are at all affected by the environment, then make aesthetic choices that will stand up to the elements.

Though you can’t control environmental factors, you can make CPG packaging choices that will reduce the chance of product damage while in transit. Use packaging that is sturdy and airtight. Make sure labels are securely affixed and include contact information with the product so customers can ask questions or leave feedback.

PKG Brand Design is always on the forefront of new CPG branding and packaging initiatives. Please subscribe to our blog for the latest package design industry news!