Definition and function of packaging containers

Packaging is a marginal independent discipline, which is guided by the theoretical methods of natural sciences such as materials science, mathematics, mechanics, physics, chemistry, biology, microbiology, and the theoretical methods of social sciences such as political economy, aesthetics, psychology, culture and art, law, and history. Modern packaging is not "art decoration" in a broad sense, nor is it simply "graphic design".
From the literal meaning of the word "packaging", "包" means to wrap, "装" means to decorate, and the literal meaning is to wrap, wrap, install, fill, decorate, and decorate. In different historical periods, the specific functions and connotations of packaging are also different. In the early days, people generally believed that packaging was a means and container to contain and protect the quantity of goods. The explanation of packaging in the Modern Chinese Dictionary of China is to wrap the goods with paper or put the goods into paper boxes, bottles, etc., or to refer to things that package goods, such as paper, boxes, bottles, etc. Although countries around the world and related organizations have different expressions and understandings of the definition of packaging, the basic meaning is consistent. They all take the function and role of packaging as their core content, and believe that it is about the containers, materials and auxiliary items for containing goods, that is, packaging. It can also refer to technical activities such as filling, sealing, and wrapping.
The following lists some countries' different definitions of packaging:
In the "National Standard for General Terminology of Packaging" (GB4122-83) formulated by China in 1983, packaging is defined as: the general name of containers, materials and auxiliary materials used according to certain technical methods to protect products during circulation, facilitate storage and transportation, and promote sales; it also refers to the operational activities of applying certain technical methods in the process of using containers, materials and auxiliary materials. Packaging is clearly defined as a noun for a class of things, and also as a verb for the operational activities of a class of things.
The American Packaging Association defines packaging as: packaging is the preparation work implemented by using appropriate materials and containers with appropriate technology to enable products to reach their destination safely and facilitate the transportation, distribution, storage and sales of goods at the best cost.
The British Standards Institute defines packaging as: packaging is the technical and artistic preparation for the storage, transportation and sale of goods.
The Japanese Industrial Standard (JIS) defines packaging as: packaging is the use of appropriate materials, containers and other technologies to facilitate the transportation of goods, protect the value of goods, and maintain the original form of goods.
The Canadian Packaging Federation defines packaging as: a tool that keeps the product in good condition when it is sent from the supplier to the customer or consumer.
In the 1990s, the concept of packaging in China was expanded to many aspects, such as the packaging and promotion of celebrities in entertainment programs, and the promotion of the city image in urban construction. Compared with the previous commodity packaging, a broad concept of packaging has been generated. Broad packaging theorists believe that the external form of all things (morphology, texture, quality, pattern, color, etc.) is packaging. This textbook does not involve the field of broad packaging, but only discusses it when explaining the definition of packaging.

Good functions are the value of packaging design and the basic purpose of packaging container design. Through the understanding of the definition of packaging, it is generally believed that the functions of packaging can be divided into three aspects: protection function, convenience function and aesthetic promotion function.

Protection function

Protecting the content, form, quality, and performance of the product means using appropriate materials, containers, and packaging protection technologies for products of different natures and forms to avoid various damages that may be encountered during the circulation of the product, so as to maintain the quality, performance, and value of the product. From the time a product is packaged, it needs to go through a series of storage, loading and unloading, transportation, wholesale, display, sales, and use. Therefore, packaging must first be designed with targeted protective functions based on the different nature, form, use, circulation cycle, and consumer environment of the specific product. For example, high-end wine products are expensive, have a high alcohol content, are highly volatile, and need to be able to control the flow when drinking. Therefore, wine bottles are mostly made of glass materials with strong chemical stability. The overall bottle shape is beautiful and generous, and the wine bottle has a thin neck and small mouth and a destructive anti-counterfeiting seal design that is tailored to the characteristics of wine products. It can prevent the product from volatilizing and facilitate pouring into a wine glass. In addition, arrows and wine glasses are clearly printed on the outer packaging box, with the words "Do not invert, handle with care" and so on.

The packaging container is the carrier of the commodity, helping it enter the circulation market and consumption link, so it must reflect the convenience function, that is, taking into account the coordinated and adaptive relationship between people and packaging during the commodity circulation process. From the standpoints of producers, transporters, custodians, sellers, and managers, the convenience of packaging and the improvement of timeliness and application effect are all required. The convenience of packaging containers is also an opportunity for enterprises to demonstrate their business culture, social responsibility and good social image. Although the convenience function may increase the production cost of some packaging, it will inevitably increase the economic benefits of production enterprises because it brings convenience to consumers. The convenience function is specifically reflected in:
(1) Convenient for handling and loading and unloading, considering the appropriate unit weight, specifications, size, shape and other factors of the packaging to adapt to manual or mechanical automated shipping, stacking, identification and storage, etc.
(2) Convenient for packaging production, product filling, sealing, labeling, transportation, loading and unloading, stacking, etc.
(3) Convenient for warehousing and storage and commodity information identification.
(4) Convenient for display and sales on store shelves
(5) Convenient for consumers to carry, open, use, restore, store and other consumer applications.
(6) Convenient for recycling and disposal of packaging waste.

From an aesthetic point of view, the development of packaging contains the pursuit of trace beauty in human cultural life. In different historical periods, the different technologies, aesthetic preferences and social customs of each country or nation affect the style and characteristics of packaging design. Therefore, the packaging design concept must be linked to a certain aesthetic culture, integrated with the design form that adapts to the times, and rely on a certain specific modeling method to realize the materialization of aesthetics, becoming a carrier for expressing product image and spiritual aesthetics.
By beautifying and shaping the image of the product through packaging, attracting attention, accurately and quickly conveying product information, arousing customers' trust and psychological satisfaction in the product, playing the role of on-site sales advertising, inducing consumption and increasing added value. Packaging design conveys not only information about material enjoyment, but more about consumers' life beliefs and pursuit of beauty. This aesthetic embodiment can clearly or implicitly imply that there will be an experience relationship between consumers and products, and strive to make this experience infect consumers for a long time, and try to establish a solid brand loyalty relationship with consumers, thereby inducing potential consumer behavior. The embodiment of this aesthetic is not a single aspect, but an overall concept, which can be demonstrated through the organic combination of packaging processing technology, production materials and shape design.