1. Lunch Packaging
Brian Russell

2. Exam expectations
Packed lunch containers is the theme for the design
question on the 2013 written paper and this presentation
is designed specifically to support this. Paper/card is the
compulsory material so always expect questions in the
exam to relate to this topic. This is often linked to a
question on packaging. Packaging is also a topic on its
own and you are expected to know about a range of
packaging solutions and the materials and processes
used.

3. What to design?
• The preliminary material tells us that the context for
the designing question is: Packed lunch containers
• If you look back at past questions like this candidates
were asked to design mainly using card
• Think about who the user might be - children, adults,
such as office workers, athletes etc.
• Think about what might need to be contained – drink,
sandwich, yoghurt, fruit etc.

4. Your problem?

5. Where to start
Potentially this is a large topic to investigate so concentrate on:
• Paper and card containers
• The use of new materials (alternatives to oil based polymers)

6. The functions of packaging
• Protect
• Inform
• Contain
• Transport
• Preserve
• Display
I PICT PD
If you can remember these you can write design criteria,
explain the purposes or functions of packaging

7. Best answers?
Purposes/functions Reasons
Transport It will be important to be able to easily transport the food
from the shop to where you want to eat
Contain The food will need to be contained and may need to be
separated – sweet and savoury for example
Preserve Keeping the food fresh and maintaining the correct
temperature will be important

8. Function 1: Protect
The packaging needs to protect the food from
contamination but often needs to protect the user from
grease. The outer layer in this case is made from
carton board or solid white board. The card needs to
be food grade.

9. Protecting the sandwich
This type of packaging protects, preserves and displays
the product. These sandwich wedges are made from
sustainable Kraft board with a 100% compostable liner
and a window made from cornstarch. They are
supplied flat for easy storage and assembly is simple.

10. Security
To avoid any form of tampering sandwich cartons are
sealed so that customers are confident that the product
has not been tampered with in any way.

11. Security
• Pret a Manger use colour coded security labels so
they can check and remove stock which has been on
the shelf too long. This is helping to protect the
consumers from potential bacterial hazards.

12. Function 2: Inform
• Most lunch packaging is generic and would not contain a
great deal of information. Windows are often a feature so
that you can see what is inside. Windows are usually
made from Cornstarch like the sandwich example shown
earlier.

13. Key information
• Nutritional information is found on some pre-packaged
food but you are unlikely to be asked to do anything
more than suggest a space on the lunch container.

14. Symbols
• Informing consumers that the food is suitable for
vegetarians or vegans is important to many people.
There are a wide range of symbols used for this
purpose and some are shown below.
• You are unlikely to be asked to do more than suggest
the position of such symbols on your container

15. Symbols
• As lunch packaging is unlikely to be used more than once
manufacturers are often eager to inform customers that it
can be recycled. Variations of these symbols are often
found on this type of packaging
• You are unlikely to be asked to do more than suggest the
position of such symbols on your container

16. Symbols
• It is common to see an anti-litter logo printed onto the
packaging. The symbol on the right is the more usual
Keep Britain Tidy version whereas the one on the left is
from the Love Where You Live campaign
• You are unlikely to be asked to do more than suggest the
position of such symbols on your container

17. Symbols
• The FSC logo provides the consumer with a guarantee
that the card board has been made from timber which
has come from a sustainable source.
• The forest will have been evaluated and certified as
being managed according to agreed social,
economically viable and environmental standards.

18. Symbols
The German ‘Green Dot’, has little environmental
significance. It only means that the manufacturer has
paid a fee towards the packaging recovery system in
Germany. On lunch packaging this is usually shown
in a single colour

19. Function 3: Contain
• Food needs to be contained. This is particularly
important if the food has strong flavours or is in small
pieces.
• The most common material used for this type of
insert is PET. This tray has been vacuum formed.
There are now alternatives to oil based polymers
based on plant starches

20. Alternatives to plastics
• This container looks as if it is made from normal Kraft
board. Many such containers have a plastic lining and
therefore are not compostable.
• This version is from sustainably sourced paper board
with a water-based coating, made up with leak-proof
webbed corners and fold-in flaps to give a secure
closure.

21. Environmentally friendly
• These sandwich wedges are fully compostable, being
made from brown Kraft board with a compostable liner
and PLA window (made from cornstarch).
• Grease proof lining like the previous example.
• They are supplied flat and assembly is very simple.
Kraft board uses unbleached
pulp so is more
environmentally friendly
than solid white board.

22. Environmentally friendly
• These PLA Sandwich wedges are 100% compostable.
• Made from clear PLA renewable plastic which is plant
based.
• This is ideal for packaging as it starts to decompose very
soon after use.

23. Bucket meals
• This approach to packaging lunch has been made
famous by KFC. This waxed card solution is only really
suitable for food such as pieces of chicken.
• KFC have been heavily criticised because the wood pulp
has been found to come from rainforests.

24. Function 4: Transport
This type of card container is one of the most popular
children’s lunch containers and is often printed with
decorative graphics. Solid white board is best if
printing in full colour

25. Deli box
• A more adult lunch container simply made from Kraft
board with a locking handle. Made from recycled
fibres, this is an unbleached board which is a pale
brown colour.

26. Handles
• If the lunch container has a handle you will need to
consider anthropometrics
• If you design your box to fit your own hand it would be
large enough for younger children

27. Deli box
• A folded deli box, again, made from coated Kraft
board.
• Designed to hold wet dishes such as curry, pasta etc.
• The corners are folded, then glued to prevent leaks.
• Locking tabs keep the carton closed

28. Flat pack
• To save space many food containers are produced to be
stored flat and simply opened up into their final form.

29. Function 5: Preserve
• Pizza boxes are very good examples of lunch containers
which are very simple.
• They are made from corrugated cardboard which is
lightweight, stiff and a good insulator so the food is
preserved at the right temperature.
• The layers also do a good job in protecting the consumer
from grease.

30. Temperature issues
• Traditionally manufactured from expanded polystyrene,
this type of food container can now be made from a
biodegradable bio-plastic such as Ecovio L Foam.
• Foamed materials are great insulators

31. Aluminium trays
• These trays are sealed using a foil lined card lid and
provide a very cheap solution.
• Whilst they can be recycled, in practice they are often
not separated and just treated as general waste.

32. Function 6: Display
• This type of packaging is often displayed in refrigerated
display units and rely on the window so the customer can
easily see the product inside.
• This window is usually made of cornstarch nowadays as
it is compostable.

33. Display
• Many suppliers brand their packaging.
• In the case of McDonalds the designers were asked to
try to persuade the consumers that the products were
made from high quality ingredients.

34. Appealing to the customer
• It will be important that the packed lunch container is
appealing to the customer.
• This might be achieved using printing or clear
windows.

35. Nets
• Cardboard cartons are made from nets.
• These flat shapes are printed, cut, then folded and
glued to create a 3D box.

36. Your net
• Make sure that you can draw an accurate net which will
glue together to make a 3D carton
• This example uses folded corners rather than traditional
glue tabs

37. Practice drawing
• Practice drawing and making both the 2D nets and the
3D cartons

38. Practice drawing
• This is a very popular net for children’s packed lunch
containers.
• Practice drawing and making this.

39. Sandwich wedges
• Practice making sandwich cartons (or wedges)
• Try designing and making your own nets

40. Adding dimensions
Make sure that you know how to accurately show the three
main dimensions. Use projection lines then neat arrows
which touch the projection lines. Measurements should
be in millimetres.

41. Adding colour
Practice applying colour with coloured pencils.
Experiment with tone as this is a simple way to get a
good effect.

42. Offset lithography
• Flat aluminium plates (specially
treated)
• Photographically exposed then
wrapped around roller
• Exposed parts attract water
• Non exposed parts allow ink to
stick
• Print onto plain roller to reverse
image
• Transfers to card or other
materials
This is the best
process to specify for
printing your
container if you are
using solid white
board

43. Flexographic printing
• Uses a printing plate made of rubber, plastic, or some other
flexible material.
• Ink is applied to a raised image on the plate, which transfers
the image to the printing
Ink Trough
Impression cylinder
Paper
Fountain roller
Anilox roller
Printing cylinder
This might be the best process to
specify if you are printing simple
information onto Kraft board

44. Die-cutting
Die-cutting is the method cartons are cut out. In the
packaging industry the cutter is known as a cutting
forme. A rounded blade creases where the carton will
be folded.
Plywood
Foam layer
Card to be cut
Blade

45. Final reminders
Be prepared to:
• Adapt your design for different lunch products
• Target different groups of users – children, adults,
athletes etc.
• Draw 2D nets and 3D cartons
• Apply colour and graphics
Remember:
• The functions of packed lunch containers
• Keep the design simple
• Detail materials and construction details