Everything You Need to Know About Tamper Evident Packaging
You’ve likely had some experience with tamper-evident packaging when opening a brand new bottle of your favorite condiment or when trying to open a new bottle of medicine.
Tamper evident packaging has long been a standard requirement in the pharmaceutical industry, but its numerous benefits and uses spans across industries.
As a business owner, it’s important to understand what exactly tamper-evident packaging is, what types are available, and what benefits it can provide for you and your customers.
What is Tamper Evident Packaging?
Tamper evident packaging, also known as TEP, is a type of packaging that makes it clear to the end user or consumer when the product has been opened. One of the features that make tamper-evident packaging effective is that it is not readily available for purchase, making it difficult to replicate.
Tamper evident packaging is often confused with tamper-resistant packaging, however, there are some significant differences. Tamper resistant packaging is designed to prevent tampering altogether. It’s more secure, but it can make it difficult for some people to open. For example, child-resistant prescription bottles are also difficult to open for the elderly or for people who have motor control issues.
Tamper evident packaging is designed to be easy to open, but features a seal or wrap that is difficult to replace once it’s been opened. Sealed beverage bottlecaps that click open, breaking a seal, are an example of tamper-evident packaging that most people are familiar with.
Types of Tamper Evident Packaging
There are many types of tamper-evident packaging available, depending on the product and market. Here are a few examples:
Button tops – One of the oldest types of tamper-evident packaging are tops that have a button which makes a pop when the seal is broken. If a customer opens the lid and the top doesn’t pop, they know not to consume the product.
Plastic rings – Most milk and soft drink bottles have a small plastic ring joined to the lid by a perforated connection. The first time the bottle is opened, the perforation snaps, and the ring floats free.
Tamper evident tapes – These are used for shipping containers and have patterns that won’t line up if the package has been opened. Some of these tapes even leave patterns or words on the box itself when they’re removed.
Shrink bands – These types of shrink bands are found on many popular beverage brands and products like ice cream cartons. They are similar to shrink sleeve packaging, however, they’re not just cosmetic. They secure the lid of the package and need to be torn off in order to open it.
Benefits of Tamper Evident Packaging
Tamper evident packaging is beneficial to everyone in the supply chain, from your factory to the customer. Here’s why.
Retailers – Since tamper-evident packaging discourages customers from “trying before they buy”, retailers will have fewer spoiled products to write off every week. This translates to a higher profit margin for your retail partners.
Customers – By ensuring the integrity of your product, you’re protecting your customers from spoiled or altered products. Moreover, you increase their confidence, which makes it more likely that they’ll purchase your brand in the first place.
Business – Tamper-evident packaging can help shield you from liability if someone has a bad experience with your product. More importantly, it makes it far less likely that a customer will have that experience, to begin with. Happy customers mean more purchases. And by increasing your retailer’s margins, you’ll make them happy to have your product on their shelves.
Industries Who Use Tamper Evident Packaging
As more and more companies take their business online, they’re discovering the benefits of tamper-evident packaging.
Read some Amazon reviews for popular products, and you’ll find a number of common themes in 1-star reviews. One of these is something along the lines of “The product was already used.”
Tamper evident packaging can help you avoid this by giving your customers the confidence of knowing they’re the first person to lay hands on their purchase. This is true whether you’re selling pharmaceuticals, drinks, industrial supplies, or arts and crafts products.
Karlville’s Tampertec tamper evident applicator is a new shrink sleeve application solution. It involves a high-quality application system and integrates a shrink tunnel.
Karlville’s Tamper Evident Packaging Solutions
Our tamper-evident line of shrink sleeve application machines, backed by Scheidegger technology, is the most reliable in the market. It offers three main lines of cap sealing machines for you to choose from. The line is designed as an integrated system on existing label application or as a stand-alone system in either in-line or offline tamper evident application. Here’s a quick rundown on each of our tamper-evident applicators:
Startec 600 – This machine features an application head installed inside within the labeler frame. The machine delivers smooth, accurate application of tamper evident shrink sleeves with no footprint and a maximum speed up to 600BPM.
Tampertec – The Tampertec is available in seven different sizes, and can apply up to 1,200BPM depending on which model you use. It’s designed as a stand-alone solution for tamper evident application. Enjoy smooth, progressive and accurate sleeve application via a pick and place transfer system or direct shooting.
COMBITEC – The Combitec is an affordable compact machine solution that comes with a fully adjustable and efficient infrared electric tunnel and shrink sleeve applicator. The solution is a tamper applicator, complete with a rejection system and infrared shrink tunnel that delivers perfect tamper application for all markets.
In addition to the line of tamper-evident shrink sleeve applicators, Karlville also produces heat tunnels for automatic tamper evident banding designed with the latest development in heating systems. Our product line provides machine solutions for all levels of production, ranging from the Hot Air Gun for a basic low-cost solution, to Customized Tunnels that combine specifications to meet any need.
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If you’d like more information on Karlville’s tamper-evident shrink sleeve application machines and heat tunnels, please contact us for more information. We are always happy to answer any questions you may have about our machines.