There are several factors which have resulted in a trend of increase in packaging of products. These factors are increased composition, increase in education, increase in consumer assurance, changes in living habits, migration from rural to urban areas, more emphasis given to convenience and better service to consumer etc. these factors have affected packaging in almost every type of industry.
Food products: Most food products were considered to be unsuitable for packaging but how many items are available in packaged form. Even items like rice, cereals, sugar etc are now sold in packaged form. Even fresh meat and chicken are sold in packages of ½ and 1 kg. In all big cities milk is readily available in polythene packages.
Cosmetic products: Plastic has substituted the traditional glass bottle packaging perfumes are available in very attractive bottles that can be used for decoration purposes.
Drugs and medicines: The trend is towards more protection packaging. The tablets are now sold in plastic and polythene sheets injections and other medicines are available in more protective packages. Most medicines for the ear, nose and throat contains a spoon/dropper and the bottles are marked with measured quantities. Apparels are now sold in transparent packages. This keeps them clean and makes them more safe.
Consumer Problems with Packaging Consumers are often at a loss and cheated for misinterpretation and contents of the packages. They often face the following problems.
Unless the package is transparent, the buyer cannot judge the contents of the package by its mere appearance. If quality information on it is lacking. Purchase has to be made almost blindly.
There is no alternative available to the consumer to check weight and volume of the contents, unless he opens it. Usually prepackage shortages have been found to the extent of 25% and above.
Frequently the package sizes and designs inflate the contents. Price reduction may often follow with less of the quantity in the packet.
Deceptive packages accompany many unfair trade practices like hidden declaration of contents, five attractive printing glorified illustrations, unexplainable fractions etc as a result of which consumer get less than what the package is supposed to contain.
Although packages are identical in size, contents are reduced and apparently same prices are charged.
Packages create health hazards for consumers food articles packaged in plastic material are stated to cause cancer and packages stored in godowns are susceptible to infection by rodents and insects.
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