New sore throat "pops" achieve a two-year shelf life with flexographically printed barrier bag

Get Better Bear Pops, a new teddy bear-shaped throat soother targeted for children, arrived at stores in late September, just in time for the start of the cold and flu season. Created by Whitehall-Robins Healthcare, the makers of Dimetapp, the grape-flavored sucker-like pops are individually wrapped in clear one-color printed polypropylene film and then packed 10 to a bag on vertical form-fill-seal machines from various manufacturers.

Produced by C&H Packaging (call (715) 536-5400 or mark Item #236), the outer bag is an adhesive lamination of reverse-printed polypropylene and metallized oriented polypropylene, a structure that gives the product a two-year shelf life. The barrier bag protects the pops from potential moisture permeation that could cause product crystallization over time. Since the active ingredient in this product (Pectin) is not a medicine, child-resistant packaging was not needed.

Whitehall-Robins Healthcare opted to print the bag in seven colors on a flexographic press rather than using the more expensive rotogravure printing and is quite satisfied with the resulting graphic impact. The company's goal in choosing this method was to provide a quality package that also would be visually appealing to the customer. Consumers seem to be satisfied with the results, as evidenced by healthy sales.

Distributed nationally where other throat soother products are sold, the 10-count bag sells for less than $2.00 and can sit in shelf trays or hang on J-hooks near competitive products.

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