Effect of Cling Film Thickness and Clarity on Shelf Appeal and Food Preservation
What is the first thing you notice when you buy a cling film-wrapped food item? Of course, the freshness & visual appeal! The cling film thickness and clarity play an important on shelf appeal and food preservation. In modern food retail and the food service sector, product shelf life and visual appeal significantly influence cling film performance. These are two of the most important parameters that determine cling film performance:
➤ Film Thickness (Micron/Gauge): How well the food item is protected and preserved.
➤ Clarity: Transparency of the product is wrapped & how the customer perceives it.
At Shree Pragya Flexifilm Industries, as a pioneer cling film manufacturer in India, we conducted a case study to evaluate how cling film clarity and thickness impact shelf appeal using industry standard measures and benchmarks.
Challenges Faced By the Food Packaging & Related Industries
Food retailers and manufacturers often have these issues:
➤ Thicker films offer better protection but reduce visual appeal, flexibility and cost efficiency.
➤ High clarity films allow better visual appeal but compromise durability & strength if under-gauged.
At times, businesses simply rely on visual inspection or normal thickness rather than measuring thickness uniformity, haze values or micron control, which can lead to inconsistent packaging.
Objectives of Case Study
With this case study, we aim to help our valued readers and customers understand:
➤ How does film clarity impact the consumer perception and shelf appeal?
➤ How does film thickness affect the protection barrier and food preservation?
➤ Why is it important to measure thickness uniformly rather than relying on normal gauge?
➤ How to achieve the right balance between clarity and thickness for retail uses?
Methods & Evaluation Criteria for Cling Film Thickness & Clarity
How Clarity is Evaluated:
➤ Haze % is measured using ASTM D1003
➤ Visual readability tests (print text through cling film)
➤ Display under retail lighting
Industry-standard Clarity Benchmarks:
➤ <4% haze: Premium shelf presentation
➤ 5 to 8% haze: Standard retail clarity
➤ 8 to 10% haze: Low-visibility use
If you are buying cling film, as the PE/PVC cling film suppliers for ASTM D1003 haze values and light transmittance % in specifications.
How Thickness is Evaluated:
➤ Microns (µm) as a primary unit
➤ Multiple point measurements to evaluate uniformity instead of just average thickness
Industry-standard Thickness Ranges:
➤ 9 to 12 µm: Lightweight display wrapping
➤ 12 to 15 µm: Standard fresh food & fruits wrapping for retail stores
➤ 15 to 20 µm: High-moisture food applications
Case Study Findings:
Impact of Clarity on Shelf Appeal & Retail Impact:
➤ Highly transparent films greatly enhance the visual appeal of fresh produce like fruits & veggies and bakery products like biscuits, cakes & confectionery items.
➤ Low haze films enhance colour contrasts, making the wrapped food items appear fresher and premium to customers.
➤ A clean and highly transparent packaging allows customers to visually inspect products and make informed decisions.
Impact of Thickness on Food Preservation:
➤ Films below the above-mentioned microns exhibit risk of:
➤ Tears during handling
➤ Moisture and oxygen exposure
➤ Loss of wrap integrity
➤ Damage to wrapped items
Cling films Optimized for Thickness Offers:
➤ Improved moisture retention
➤ Better mechanical strength and puncture resistance
➤ Stable wrapping even during storage, refrigeration & transport
Importance of Thickness Uniformity
Inconsistent uniform thickness can lead to weak spots, uneven stretching and reduced clarity in stretched places. This is why multipoint measurement is more reliable than single-point checks.
Conclusion
With this case study, we can conclude that cling film thickness and clarity must be designed to maintain a perfect balance.
➤ Clarity improves shelf appeal and perceived freshness
➤ Thickness ensures protection, preservation & durability
At Shree Pragya Flexifilm Industries, we engineer our PE and PVC cling films with measured optical clarity and controlled micron thickness to deliver superior retail representation, better food preservation and improved overall packaging performance. We believe the best cling films are not just the thickest or highest transparency, but a perfect balance between clarity, thickness and uniformity optimised for a specific application. This is why, over the years, our high-performance cling films are renowned among valued clients across the globe. So if you are looking for the highest-quality cling films, check our range of cling films and other food packaging materials at market-competitive prices. Call us and discuss your requirements.
