Added: 12.06.2012 15:09
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Grain products in folding board packages with useless dispensers

A challenge for package engineers. Hot cereals and risotto are fine, but why are most dispenser-equipped packages relatively awkward to use.

A wide variety of dried flakes, groats and rice can be found in all grocery stores. One thing combines these grain products, they are all packaged in folding board packages equipped with dispensers. Dispensers, I do not mind, but why is it so hard to get them opened and why is some of the product always found on the table or the floor?

The most common packages are equipped with half-moon or square shaped dash line
-dispensers. Recently, new packages with spout-like dispensers were launched. However, the last mentioned dispenser still has some deficiencies (note, only one package was tested): structural weaknesses, in other words, one of the two dispenser brackets was too short and last but not least, if the package is declined rapidly, then the opening of the dispenser will be blocked with ”flake-flocks”.

VTT (Technical Research Centre of Finland) took part, a couple of years ago, in a pilot study were functionality of packages was studied. The key issue in this pilot was to find out what kind of functionality problems customers have and what kind of things have to be taken into account when designing packages that can be used by customers whose ability to fuction is decreased. The final results showed that easily-handled opening-mechanisms was one of the most valued factors that combined functional packages and customers with some kind of physical complaint. Today customers are aware of what practical packages consist of. And what is more important, can you find customers for dysfunctional packages?

Finally, in my opinion, the most problematic matter related to dispenser-equipped packages is that… if you do not want to use the dispenser, then, how can you get the package opened? Please try! Your going to find out that most package manufacturers have used some extra glue in the closing process of the package.

Modified 2012-06-12 15:45:50

References:

Heiniö, Raija-Liisa. Pakkauksen avattavuuden kriittiset tekijät. VTT. 18.9.2008: Helppo avata -keksintökilpailun seminaari. http://www.helppopakkausonetu.com/seminaari/Easyopenpack_tulokset.pdf . Luettu 10.6.2012.

Järvi-Kääriäinen, Terhen., Ollila, Margareetta. 2007. Toimiva pakkaus. ISBN: 978-951-8988-41-3.

Research question: What does a customer-frendly dispenser look like?

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