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What are the benefits of pouches?

What are the benefits of pouches?

The benefits of pouches

Here’s an overview of the key benefits of pouches (stand-up pouches / flexible packaging), especially relevant for both food and non-food applications:

1. Space & weight efficiency

Pouches are lightweight and take up little space, both in transport and storage.
Less weight = lower shipping costs and reduced CO₂ emissions.

2. Flexibility in design and size

Available in many formats: stand-up, flat-bottom, gusseted, with or without zipper.
Adapt the size and opening to your product (powders, coffee, snacks, non-food, etc.).

3. Consumer-friendly

Reclosable options (zipper or resealable) improve convenience.
Transparent windows show the product inside, building trust at the point of purchase.

4. Product protection

Barrier properties protect against moisture, oxygen, light, or odors.
Extended shelf life without the need for bulky extra packaging.

5. Marketing & branding

Large printable surfaces for eye-catching designs.
Make your brand stand out on store shelves, webshops, or trade fairs.

6. Sustainability

Mono-material and recyclable options support circularity.
Uses less material compared to traditional boxes, bottles, or jars.

7. Cost savings

More cost-effective than rigid packaging.
Efficient in transport: more pouches per pallet, less storage space needed.

How do they compare?

Below you’ll find a decision table that compares pouches with traditional packaging such as cans, jars, cartons, and rigid plastics. The focus is on B2B food and non-food applications, with clear advantages (+) and disadvantages (–).

Feature / Property	Pouch (plastic film)	Can / Metal	Jar / Glass	Box / Cardboard	Rigid Plastic
Weight	+ Very light	– Heavy	– Heavy	+ Light	± Medium
Transport & storage	+ Compact, flexible	– Space-intensive	– Fragile, space-consuming	+ Stackable, light	± Stackable
Product protection	+ Good against moisture, air	+ Excellent for long shelf life	+ Good for shelf life	– Limited barrier	+ Good, not always airtight
Marketing & branding	+ Large print area	– Limited print area	+ Medium	+ Large print area	+ Medium to large
User-friendliness	+ Reusable, light	– Difficult to open/close	+ Reusable, heavy	+ Easy to open	+ Reusable, can be heavy
Sustainability / recycling	+ Mono-materials possible	+ Recyclable metal	+ Recyclable glass	+ Recyclable cardboard	– Often difficult to recycle
Production costs	+ Low in larger volumes	– Expensive	– Expensive	+ Very low	± Medium
Flexibility in shape / size	+ Very flexible	– Rigid shapes	– Rigid shapes	± Limited	– Rigid shapes
Risk of breakage / leakage	± Depends on material	+ Unbreakable	– Breakable	– Can tear	+ Unbreakable
Energy consumption production (raw material)	Low – 1–2 MJ/kg	High – 15–20 MJ/kg	High – 10–15 MJ/kg	Low – 0.5–1 MJ/kg	Medium – 3–5 MJ/kg
Energy consumption production (processing)	Low – 1–2 MJ/kg	High – 5 MJ/kg	High – 5 MJ/kg	Medium – 2–5 MJ/kg	Medium – 2–5 MJ/kg
CO₂ emissions (raw material)	Low – 0.1–0.25 kg CO₂/kg	High – 1.5–2.5 kg CO₂/kg	High – 1–2 kg CO₂/kg	Medium – 0.25–0.75 kg CO₂/kg	Medium – 0.25–0.75 kg CO₂/kg
CO₂ emissions (processing / manufacturing)	Low – 0.1–0.25 kg CO₂/kg	Medium – 0.5 kg CO₂/kg	Medium – 0.5 kg CO₂/kg	Low – 0.1–0.25 kg CO₂/kg	Medium – 0.25–0.75 kg CO₂/kg
Water consumption (raw material)	Low – 0.5–1.5 L/kg	High – 10–20 L/kg	High – 7–15 L/kg	High – 10–20 L/kg	Medium – 2–5 L/kg
Water consumption (processing / manufacturing)	Low – 0.5–1.5 L/kg	High – 5 L/kg	High – 3–5 L/kg	Low – 0.5–3 L/kg	Medium – 3–5 L/kg

1. Raw material production – CO₂, energy, and water needed to produce the base material (PE, PP, PET, glass, metal, cardboard).

2. Manufacturing / processing – CO₂, energy, and water needed to convert the raw material into the final packaging product (pouch, jar, can, carton).

For pouches: raw material = plastic film (PE/PP); processing = cutting, sealing, printing.
For glass and cans: raw material = glass or aluminum; processing = forming jars/cans, possibly coating or printing.
For cardboard: raw material = paper/board; processing = folding and printing boxes.
For rigid plastic: raw material = PE/PET/PP; processing = injection molding or extrusion.

In short:

Pouches score highest on weight, flexibility, transport, marketing, and reusability.
Cans and jars offer strong protection and long shelf life, but are heavy and costly.
Cartons/boxes are cheap and light, but provide limited protection.
Rigid plastics sit somewhere in between, but can be difficult to recycle.
Pouches clearly win when it comes to energy, CO₂, and water efficiency, mainly due to their low weight and reduced material use.
Cans and glass consume a lot of energy and water due to melting, shaping, and processing.
Cardboard is cheap and eco-friendly in production, but less protective.
Rigid plastics are average in terms of energy and water use, and recycling is more challenging compared to mono-materials.

Average energy, CO₂, and water consumption during recycling

Material	Explanation
Pouch (plastic film, mono-PE/PP)	Plastic film requires separation, washing, shredding and extrusion. Mono-materials are easier than multi-layer, but film is light and thin, which means a lot of energy per tonne is needed.
Can / Metal (aluminium, steel)	Metal recycling is energy-intensive, especially melting. Aluminium is highly energy-efficient in recycling compared to primary production, but steel also requires cleaning and sorting.
Jar / Glass	Glass is relatively easy to recycle (washing, melting). Low CO₂ emissions, but melting requires energy. Reuse of jars (deposit/return) strongly reduces impact.
Box / Cardboard	Cardboard recycling requires separation, washing and pulping. Energy use is low, but water use is high due to pulp water and cleaning of ink/contaminants.
Rigid Plastic (PE, PP, PET)	Rigid plastic can be mechanically recycled, but sorting and cleaning require extra energy and water. PET bottles are relatively efficient, PE/PP more difficult due to contamination or additives.

Curious to learn more about pouches?

Feel free to get in touch with us. We’ll be happy to help you find the best packaging solution for your product!