With this in mind, it is no wonder why the fast food sector is growing so quickly. It is no longer equal only with French fries, pizza and hamburgers but includes healthier options such as salads or sushi. This is also an explanation why fast food is becoming more and more common – it can offer something that suits almost everyone, healthy or not. Fast food is also closely connected to premiumization and indulgence. People are simply eating out more, where they can get full service fast and without effort.
So, what does this mean for the packaging industry? The packaging for fast food only has to serve for a short while, but it still needs to be hygienic, food-safe and efficient to produce. Using renewable, tree-based materials is a key aspect for packaging developers to think of as many urbanized people are more and more aware about both health and environment.
Paperboard meets all of these requirements well and has traditionally been used a lot in fast food packaging – just look at the boxes for Chinese food and hamburgers, French fries or pizza packages. Besides meeting consumers wishes for environmentally sustainable, renewable raw material, paperboard is also great in order to deliver brand communications, thanks to its printability – a perfect fit for the different demands of the fast food packaging.