SPOTLIGHT

Nutritional Supplement Packaging:Innovative Designs Meet Increased Demand

by Romina Shane, Contributing Editor

Not too long ago, many of the products sold as nutritional supplements were labeled by the mainstream media—and by much of the medical community—as alternative therapies. But today the term alternative hardly seems to fit these products as the number of consumers searching grocery, drug, and health food store aisles for dietary supplements is steadily increasing. 

New companies are entering the market to profit from the increased demand, so to remain competitive, firms must package their products in creative ways to attract consumers. Some nutritional supplement makers are choosing packaging materials and styles new to the healthcare industry, while others are opting for proven pharmaceutical packages. 

Another example of innovative packaging that's just now being introduced to the nutritional supplement industry is the Boxibag, a square- or rectangular-based stand-up bag made of a flexible, lightweight packaging material. Currently used for food packaging in Israel and Europe, the package has definite applications in the nutritional product industry, says Gidon Reichstein, vice president of sales and marketing for Boxibag Corp. (Miami). "The Boxibag can be filled with powders, tablets, capsules, or liquids," Reichstein explains. "And it provides the consumer with a very stable, flexible package that maintains its shape, even after some of the product is dispensed."