The Association of Packaging and Processing Manufacturers (PMMI) said the "most surprising find" of its latest study, Beverage Packaging Market Assessment 2014, was the slower-than-expected uptake of flexible pouches by beverage manufacturers.
In 2009, it forecast "triple digit growth" in demand for flexible pouches.
Over the last five years, it said, consumer demand for the pouch format just "didn't materialize."
The report, based on in-depth discussions with 61 beverage packaging industry respondents, attributed the slow growth in part to the association between pouches and consumer products such as shampoo, breakfast cereal and laundry detergent.
"Some respondents believe it is difficult to convey a premium image with a pouch container that is becoming ubiquitous across so many product categories," the PMMI report said.
To counter this, the report suggests exploring new beverage pouch designs "that differentiate them from pouches in other categories."
More costly?
It that that pouches are "almost too space-efficient and look like they have less liquid in them" than cans or bottles. They also tend to "look messier on shelves" than cans or bottles.
To tackle these problems, flexible pouch suppliers must come up with a way to "make pouches stand up straighter and maintain a more consistent look," it said.
It also urged investment to improve filling speed, which respondents judged "significantly slower than bottling and canning."
Opinions on the cost of pouches were meanwhile mixed.
"Respondents from beverage manufacturers say pouches are significantly more costly," said the report.
"However, respondent from pouch equipment providers explain that pouches cost significantly less than PET bottles when directly comparing the containers."
Approaching this issue, the report urged flexible pouch supplier to develop case studies on potential cost savings.
"If cost savings are substantial, seek out value brands that could leverage a cost advantage and capture significant market share with a pouch."