Have you also acquired a pet in the last 12 months? You're not alone, as around 1 million more people in Germany have acquired a pet between 2019 and 2020(Industrieverband Heimtierbedarf, 2020). This increase promises a huge demand for pet food and pet supplies and is shaking up the market. Many new suppliers are entering the pet market and offering a wide variety of products, such as sustainable pet toys or vegetarian pet food. You also want to gain a foothold in the pet industry and are looking for the right packaging with suitable labels? Then you've come to the right place. In this post, we'll explain what to look for in your pet food packaging and which packaging and labels are suitable for your pet food products.

Sustainability in pet food products

Even though sustainable packaging has not been a new trend in consumer goods for a long time, this topic is still not too common in the pet industry. For example, pet food alone accounts for 63% of a dog's climate impact(Green Petfood, 2020). That's not insignificant if you're already in this industry or want to get a foothold there soon. If you're paying close attention to sustainability in this industry now, you have a chance to become one of the pioneers of environmentally friendly pet food. If you're interested in the topic of sustainability in packaging in general, feel free to check out our blog.
Of course, sustainable pet food production also includes the right and, above all, environmentally friendly packaging, which we will now take a closer look at.

General requirements for pet food packaging

Pet food can be classified into 2 different product cateogries: Dry food and wet food. Depending on which product you sell, the requirements for the product packaging and label will change. Generally speaking, the packaging must be tight and impermeable to prevent bacteria from spreading. Further, the packaging serves as transport protection - no matter if you sell your products in retail or e-commerce.
Since it is food, the packaging must be temperature resistant to ensure the product quality of the food and animal welfare.

Recommendation for pet food packaging

As mentioned above, it is important that your pet food packaging is tight, secure and temperature resistant. Plastic bags are particularly suitable for this purpose, as plastic is very robust and impermeable. These bags are particularly suitable for wet food and can be stored both hot and cold, as the material is heat and cold resistant. Likewise, the bag is easy to open and reseal. Our sustainability tip here is to choose recyclable plastic bags or even compostable paper bags. These alternatives are produced from environmentally friendly materials, such as agricultural waste, and are easy to recycle.

In addition to Blanco bags, we now also offer the possibility to print bags individually with your design. You want to print an eye-catching pattern or even your own logo on the packaging for your pet products? Then let our printable bags inspire.


Example design for pet food packaging

Recommendation for label materials

In addition to the packaging, the label is also an important part of your pet food packaging. Once you've decided on your Blanco bag, you can go wild with the label design. How about a label in the shape of a dog? Special forms for your pet food packaging can be easily requested from us. Alternatively, our design service will be happy to assist you with the design.
In general, it is important that you choose the right material for the labels. This also depends on your product: If you offer wet food that needs to be refrigerated, the label and the adhesive must also be temperature-resistant and non-toxic. The best labels for this are made of plastic or compostable film, which you can easily select yourself in our configurator.

You want to order your labels individually and directly online? Then our label configurator is just right for you!

The pet market is growing steadily, and you can prepare for your market entry by knowing exactly what type of packaging and labels are right for your products right from the start. Our sustainable options give you the opportunity to go green and reduce CO2 emissions in the pet food industry. Not sure which packaging and labels are right for your pet food? Then contact us directly via hello@palamo.com or book a free consultation with our pet food packaging experts. We are looking forward to your inquiries!

Dein Palamo Team <3