The Layers of Packaging:  An Ultimate Guide to Primary, Secondary, And Tertiary Packaging?

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  • Posted On: August 18, 2023
  • Written by: Emenac Packaging UK
  • Category: Blog
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Do you know anything about the layers of packaging? If “not” then understanding the layers of product packaging is very important to make a difference in the competitive market and can get a significant advantage. You will get to know which type of packaging box is more robust and durable, which type of packaging material is not reliable for your products, and many more.

In this article, we have discussed packaging layers and how primary secondary, and tertiary packaging enhance your product and keep it safe:

1. What is Primary Packaging?

Primary packaging is all about direct contact with the product. It helps you to keep your products safe, secure, and in good condition, before it reaches shelves and customers. Use this primary packaging as your marketing tool to enhance the experience of your customers and uplift the sales of your products.

Essential elements for primary packaging:

  • Slogans
  • Logos
  • Information
  • Artwork designs

The primary packaging also works as a communication tool as it unveils what your product is, what is its function, and why customers should buy it.

Your packaging also includes information such as:

  • Ingredients
  • Expiry dates
  • Warnings

Generally, the main goal of the primary packaging is to be a reflection of the company and provide essential information about the products to the customers. Meanwhile, the packaging industry is adopting the new trends of minimalist approach and eco-friendly packaging where possible.

Types of Primary Packaging:

There are different types of primary packaging you can include are:

  • Bottles
  • Jars
  • Bags
  • Boxer
  • Cans

While “this is not a complete list”, it will give you an overview of how much variety of “primary packaging” includes. Although we know that the type of primary packaging depends on the product and industry, these all are some common forms of primary packaging.

2. What is Secondary Packaging?

Secondary packaging is all about “different types of primary packaging forms and combining them”. For example, you can package your product in a jar and place it in a small cardboard box. That box can be placed with many other boxes in a large box to ship to a retailer or wholesale vendor. The larger box which is delivered to a vendor is called secondary packaging.

The design of the secondary packaging focuses on how to ship, transport, and store the product easily. This box is designed with logistics in mind. It is also designed with a clear understanding to prevent the risk of damage to the products along the way. Furthermore, the secondary packaging doesn’t need to be fully branded.

Types of “Secondary Packaging”

  • Mailing bags
  • Large corrugated boxes
  • Bins

3. What is Tertiary Packaging?

Tertiary packaging is the third type of packaging which is similar to primary and secondary packaging. This type of packaging helps secondary packaging easier to handle. The main purpose of using tertiary packaging is to ship mass orders of packaging to deliver mass orders of packaging to warehouses in preparation for packaging your products. Tertiary packaging also ensures your supply chain runs it smoothly. It also helps in shipping or unwrapping your packaging supply with ease. The main goal of tertiary packaging is protection, space optimization, and ensuring your packaging remains safe which is similar to secondary packaging.  

Types of “Tertiary Packaging”:

  • Wooden Pallets
  • Shipping Containers

The Importance of Packaging Layers

Custom packaging plays an important role in e-commerce and in-store products. We all know that the trend of online shopping is increasing day by day and customers want to get their products on their doorstep without being damaged. This is the reason you need to understand the three layers of packaging which are important for efficiency and optimizing costs.

Understanding the layers of packaging also helps you to create a design that accounts for the logistics and journey into account to create customised solutions for products. But, depending on the industry and product, analyzing the right type of packaging might be challenging without the assistance of packaging experts.

Conclusion

These all are the layers of packaging and each layer has its own goal and function. The primary layer of the packaging helps you to provide protection to your product while the shipping procedure and also helps you to enhance the experience of customers. The secondary layer of packaging helps you to ship your product very easily. The design of secondary layered boxes is made by keeping logistics in mind. And the last layer of packaging is tertiary packaging which helps in protecting the product but the main goal of tertiary packaging is the efficiency of carrying large volumes. So, if you are facing any trouble in creating the best quality packaging boxes for your products, you can contact, Emenac Packaging UK to get the perfect packaging solutions.