Initially developed for Heinz, Barrier Plus has also been adopted by other big brand names, such as Dolmio and Ambrosia. It is designed to give a year long shelf life for ambient products, along with versatility of pack designs and the ability to microwave in the pot.
Made in PET, the pack incorporates an oxygen scavenger within the container walls to absorb permeating oxygen. This prevents oxidisation in the product which can cause discolouration and flavour loss. Barrier Plus can be used for a range of food products including soups, pastas and baked beans and any applications requiring retort.
It said to have the potential to replace metal cans or glass due to the greater flexibility it offers. Manufacturers can produce a range of shapes and sizes, which can be decorated without the high cost of tooling associated with traditional long shelf life materials.
This makes Barrier Plus an attractive solution to manufacturers wishing to re-position products at the premium end of the market. The packs are believed to have a higher perceived consumer value than traditional tin cans and appeal to the growing convenience market.