Packaging Advice

4 challenges pharmaceutical companies face with packaging

3 mins

A smooth-running pharmaceutical industry is crucial for the wellbeing of our society and faces several challenges on day-to-day basis, especially with packaging. Medications can be highly sensitive to temperature changes, counterfeit products, and damage during transit.

Failure to sufficiently protect your pharmaceuticals and overcome these hurdles can render your products unusable. So, a strong pharmaceutical packaging solution must be in place to protect and maintain the quality of your products.

In this article, we highlight the 4 most common challenges pharmaceutical companies face with packaging, and how your business can overcome them.

1. Preventing counterfeit products

The presence of counterfeit pharmaceuticals has become a global dilemma which poses a threat to an effective health care system. Fortunately, there are steps your business can take to minimise the possibility of these incidents occurring. 

A successful tamper-evident taping solution is a cost-effective and reliable way to deter any criminal activity during the transportation of your product. But what tamper-evident solutions are used for pharmaceuticals?

Favourable within the pharmaceutical industry, Reinforced Self Adhesive Paper Machine tape offers a clean and eco-friendly way to prevent counterfeit products. Unlike Gummed Paper Tape, this solution doesn’t rely on water to activate the adhesive – perfect for sterile environments. 

Another packaging solution effectively used across the pharmaceutical industry is bespoke cartons. With this use of simple but clever design, bespoke cartons can be folded into tamper evident boxes to provide another level of security for your product. Take the packaging below for example, the bespoke design creates no way of accessing the product without damaging the box. An easy way to prove your product is genuine.

2. Increasing sustainability

Packaging plays a huge part in a company’s overall emissions. From the manufacturing of materials to the transportation and delivery of products, companies must aim to reduce their carbon footprint to meet both consumer demands and CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) expectations.

Believe it or not, the pharmaceutical industry generates approximately 55% more greenhouse gas emissions than the automotive industry. But how can this figure be reduced?

Bespoke packaging products are the key to a sustainable solution. With the use of eco-friendly and lightweight materials, packages can be optimised to generate minimal carbon emissions.



3. Handling, transporting and storing

Efficiently handling, transporting, and storing products is crucial when it comes maximising profits. The more space you can save, the more profitable your business will be. With the use of packaging design, medicines and other pharmaceuticals can be efficiently packed to improve transport and storage space.

However, it’s not always this straightforward with pharmaceuticals. When dealing with glass vials, protection must be reinforced to avoid any damages when it comes to transportation and storage. To overcome this, bespoke stratocell inserts can be designed to maximise interior cushioning in a cost-effective way.

4. Providing crucial information

Packaging should also provide necessary information of what’s inside. Accurate data on dosage, drug information, and interactions is a critical element of pharmaceutical packaging. Companies are also required to include valuable information such as the serial and batch number, usage directions, expiration dates and more. As packaging experts with over 40 years’ experience in the pharmaceutical and medical industry, we can advise on the best labelling solutions for your packaging. For assistance with all aspects of packaging, you can count on Swiftpak. Speak to one of experts today.

Swiftpak, Pharmaceutical packaging experts

With over 40 years in the packaging industry and working together with the key players in the pharmaceutical and medical industry, we understand the challenges pharmaceutical companies face. At Swiftpak, we provide high-quality pharmaceutical packaging solutions and recognise the importance of protection, security, and regulations in the industry. If you’re looking for a packaging supplier to take care of your pharmaceutical packaging, contact us today, we’d be more than happy to help.