A Guide to Food Packaging Materials
Posted:
If you run a food business - or you’re thinking about starting one - the packaging you choose has a direct impact on how your product performs, how it looks to customers and how smoothly your service runs. Whether you're operating a local bakery, catering a high-volume event or serving food at a festival, your packaging needs to be practical, reliable and suited to your customer expectations.
This guide explores the most common food packaging materials used in the food industry - from plastic food packaging to cardboard packaging and biodegradable materials. It outlines which packaging options support product freshness, shelf life and reliable presentation across different types of food service.
Packaging materials used in the food industry
The food packaging industry uses a range of materials to meet the needs of professional kitchens, retailers and food service businesses. For fast food businesses, event caterers and mobile vendors, the right packaging needs to be quick to handle, suited to direct contact with food and easy for the customer to use and dispose of.
These are the most common food packaging materials in use today:
- Plastics: flexible, durable and widely used in food packaging across the world.
- Cardboard and paper: strong, recyclable and widely adopted in takeaway and grocery packaging.
- Biodegradable and compostable materials: used in sustainable packaging to support eco-friendly practices.
- Multilayer and hybrid materials: combining different raw materials for added strength, insulation or moisture control.
- Other materials: such as glass packaging and metal packaging, although these are more typically used for beverages, or for long shelf life goods like canned vegetables.
Plastic packaging
Plastic remains one of the most common materials in modern food packaging. It’s used in countless applications across takeaway outlets, production lines and the wider food manufacturing industry. Its strength, ability to let people see the produce before they buy, and moisture resistance make it suitable for a wide range of food items.
Common plastics include high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) - both widely used for their barrier properties and food safety. These plastic food packaging types are often recyclable and can offer long shelf life for cold or ambient food items.
Cardboard and paper packaging
Cardboard packaging plays a central role in food packaging for fast food, festival and event catering. It's practical, cost-effective and available in a wide range of formats for different food types.
Cardboard is one of the most easily recycled materials used in the food industry, and many types now come from recycled materials themselves. Some cardboard packaging can also be compostable, making it an attractive option for brands looking to reduce their carbon footprint.
Compostable and biodegradable packaging
Biodegradable and compostable packaging is a practical option for fast-moving food environments where single-use service is standard. It’s commonly used at festivals, street food stalls, outdoor events and markets, where speed, convenience and straightforward disposal are all important factors.
Materials like bagasse and PLA offer practical alternatives to conventional plastics for food packaging. Bagasse is suitable for both hot and cold foods, providing durability and resistance to moisture and grease. PLA is often used for cold food applications, providing a clear, rigid container that keeps the contents visible and well presented. Both materials are industrially compostable, requiring specific conditions to decompose effectively, and should be labeled to inform customers of proper disposal practices.
iKrafts stocks a wide range of compostable packaging like trays, wraps, containers and cutlery - designed to hold up during service and fit into setups where quick and environmentally friendly disposal is a priority.
Multilayer and hybrid packaging
Multilayer packaging materials are made from different combinations of plastic, paper, foil or bioplastics. These combinations provide better insulation, leak prevention and barrier properties than single materials alone.
Examples include:
- Paper containers lined with PLA or foil for moisture resistance.
- Hybrid wraps for oily or saucy foods.
- Laminated trays used on the production line for prepared meals.
Multilayer food packaging suits acidic foods, greasy dishes and meals where freshness is critical. While recycling multilayer materials can be more complex, they support food preservation and help reduce spoilage - a trade-off many food businesses accept in exchange for better performance.
Factors to consider when choosing food packaging materials
Factors to consider when choosing food packaging materials
The best food packaging materials for your business depend on several practical considerations:
- Type of food: wet, greasy, cold or acidic foods each require packaging that can handle contact without leaking, warping or breaking down.
- Shelf life: materials with strong barrier properties help block out moisture, air and grease, which can extend freshness and delay spoilage.
- Food preservation: reliable packaging supports portion control, protects structure and reduces food waste.
- Service type: takeaway, dine-in, delivery or outdoor catering all demand different levels of durability and convenience.
- Brand image: well-designed packaging reflects your brand’s quality, supports presentation and improves perceived value.
- Sustainability: choosing recyclable materials, compostable packaging or biodegradable plastics will reduce environmental concerns.
What does packaging say about your brand?
Customers judge quickly - and packaging contributes to that first impression. Whether it’s a cake box with your logo, a neat clamshell filled with fries at a street food stall or a compostable cup handed out at a summer fair, the packaging you use reinforces your brand image and values.
For bakeries , it’s about consistency and presentation. For festival traders , it’s about speed and waste management. For seasonal food service , it’s about flexibility and customer satisfaction. Whether you're serving food items at scale or targeting niche customers with gourmet takeaway, packaging materials can either elevate or undermine how your brand is perceived.
Why fast food and takeaway businesses choose iKrafts
With over 100 years of experience supplying packaging to UK food businesses, we understand what modern cafés, caterers and takeaway operations need to keep moving:
- High stock levels and flexible buying: we hold large volumes of packaging ready to ship. If it’s listed on our website, it’s ready to go - no delays, no back orders.
- Built for the job: our packaging is made to handle heat, oils, sauces and transport. It won’t collapse, split or leak when it matters most.
- Pricing that supports your margins: quality packaging shouldn’t push up your costs. Our competitive prices are set with food businesses in mind.
- Fast, UK-wide delivery: we move quickly. Our national delivery network keeps your supply chain running without disruption.
When you order from iKrafts, you're choosing reliable service, durable packaging and quick turnaround - all from a supplier that understands how your business works.
Explore our packaging range
At iKrafts, we supply practical, well-made packaging that keeps up with the demands of busy kitchens, counters, mobile setups and event service. Browse the full food packaging collection to find packaging materials that suit your product range, your branding and your service volumes. If you need guidance on what to order or how to meet specific packaging requirements, get in touch - our team is ready to help.
