Clear Some Space For Clear Food Packaging

By Sam Lewis

Despite the extensive research and development needed for safe and effective clear, food packaging, the payoff could be increased sales

An increased number of products are being introduced to grocers’ shelves in clear packaging, and it’s clear why: Consumers gravitate to and frequently products that visibly show them what they are buying. However, food inside clear packaging can deteriorate more quickly as it is exposed to light. The challenge for packaging companies: Develop clear packaging that maintains a product’s quality similar to opaque packaging. Furthering that challenge are the foods that aren’t supposed to be seen, such as broken potato chips or cereal dust.

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A recent Wall Street Journal article says General Mills spent more than a year working on putting Larabar Uber fruit-and-nut bars in clear wrappers. Many clear films were tested by General Mills’ research team. These films contain layers of thin plastic fused together. This controls the permeation of oxygen, light, and moisture in and out of the package. Each clear packaging prototype when through a climate-controlled box designed to mimic a variety of conditions — dark and dry grocers’ shelves and humid and sunlight conditions, simulating convenience store counters.

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General Mills’ R&D team’s attempts at clear packaging finally came to fruition. According to Larabar’s marketing manager, Julia Wing-Larson, when the product’s current clear wrapper hit stores earlier this year consumers were thrilled. Wing-Larson says that surveyed customers thought the bars looked and tasted better, gave a less artificial feel, and the ingredients seemed to be fresh. All of these compliments, despite the recipe not changing a bit. General Mills seems happy with its efforts and its customers’ feedback. So much so that the company began using clear wrappers and packaging on some of its other products shortly after learning the results.