Packaging plays an extremely important role in production, distribution, and marketing, whether products are sold domestically or exported to international markets. Today, packaging is used not only to contain, preserve, or describe products, but also as a promotional tool. Packaging represents the product's image and can play an important role in influencing consumers' purchasing decisions.

For exported goods, the transportation and preservation functions of packaging are particularly important. This is especially true when products must travel long distances before reaching customers in the target market. Therefore, export packaging manufacturers should pay attention to the following considerations:

Requirements for Export Packaging

What should businesses pay attention to when producing export packaging?

• Packaging should be suitable for the intended mode of transportation, such as sea freight, trucking, bulk cargo, container shipping, or air freight.
• Packaging should have appropriate dimensions for efficient storage in warehouses and compatibility with pallets and containers.
• Packaging should provide sufficient strength and durability to withstand impacts, pulling, pushing, handling, loading, unloading, storage, and transportation.
• Packaging should be suitable for changes in climate and weather conditions across different countries and regions.
• Packaging should provide adequate product protection to help prevent changes in odor, moisture damage, mold, and other forms of deterioration.
• Packaging should clearly display any handling, transportation, storage, or stacking instructions that need to be observed.

Important Performance Properties of Export Packaging

• Mechanical strength
• Tensile strength
• Packaging transparency
• Impact resistance during export transportation
• Water vapor barrier properties
• Water resistance
• Oxygen barrier properties
• Heat resistance
• Aroma retention
• Resistance to light exposure
• Safety for children and elderly users where applicable
• Ease of use and convenience

Winning customers in international markets requires careful preparation.

The requirements above are general considerations that may apply to packaging overall or to specific products and industries. Another important issue is that businesses sometimes use the same packaging designed for the domestic market for exported products. Without careful evaluation, this approach may lead to serious consequences. For example, customers may reject an entire shipment, delay or withhold payment, or require exporters to correct packaging-related issues to comply with regulations in the importing country. Businesses may also face penalties, and more importantly, such problems can negatively affect their reputation with international customers.

Markets such as Europe, the United States, and Japan have their own requirements for export packaging, and these requirements may be regularly updated or revised. Therefore, exporters need to stay informed in order to reduce compliance risks and avoid unnecessary losses.

Legal Requirements

• General packaging regulations applicable to the target market, including specific national regulations and regulations that may apply across a common market or economic bloc.
• Packaging requirements for specific industries and product categories such as food, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, and others.
• Specific requirements for packaging materials used for exported products: What material is the packaging made from? Paper, plastic, metal, or wood? Are there specific regulations for each type of material? Is the material accepted in the target market? Are any materials restricted or subject to special requirements, such as certain plastics or PVC?
• Specific requirements regarding packaging images, colors, designs, and declared weight: Do the images accurately represent the product contained inside?
• Whether any images, symbols, or design elements may conflict with cultural practices, beliefs, or sensitivities among consumers in the target market.
• Requirements for symbols and labeling used in export packaging printing, such as language, product name, net weight, ingredients, nutritional information, and country of origin.
• Environmental regulations applicable to export packaging in the target market.
• Other requirements related to traceability of the shipment in the event of a product or supply chain issue.

BMP Group invests in modern equipment for packaging production.

Therefore, before manufacturing and packing products for export, one of the key priorities for businesses is to understand the packaging regulations applicable to their product category and target market.

Choosing a Reliable Packaging Manufacturer

BMP Group is an experienced manufacturer specializing in flexible laminated packaging. With many years of experience in the packaging industry, BMP Group provides packaging solutions for a variety of business requirements.

BMP Group has continuously invested in production equipment and technology to support multiple stages of the flexible packaging manufacturing process. Its equipment includes gravure printing machines, coating equipment, solvent-based and solvent-free dry lamination machines, inspection machines, bag-making machines, slitting machines, and multilayer film blowing equipment.

BMP Group also operates production facilities at Tan Phu Trung Industrial Park in Cu Chi and VSIP II Industrial Park in Binh Duong, supporting the company's ability to serve packaging requirements for customers in different regions.

BMP Group production facility in Cu Chi

BMP Group packaging factory in Binh Duong

Certifications achieved over the years include:

• 2011: ISO 9001:2008 certification;
• 2014: HACCP, GMP, and food safety certification;
• 2017: ISO 9001:2015 certification;
• 2020: BRC Issue 6 certification.

Producing packaging for exported goods is an important part of preparing products for international markets and can directly affect product protection, distribution, and market acceptance. Businesses should understand the specific requirements of their target markets in order to select and produce appropriate packaging.

We hope this article helps you better understand the key considerations for export packaging and supports your preparation for international markets. For more information, please contact BMP Group via hotline (028) 66.756.588 for assistance.