Hooray for the sachet

Whilst not talked about as much as stand up and retort pouches, sachets remain one of the most important flexible packaging products in the market.

As a predominantly single use product, sachets also face one of the toughest futures, as legislation and consumer purchasing patterns would have you believe sachets are a declining market.

If anything, the opposite is true and exhibitors at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 are on hand to show you why.

Sachets are small, sealed, single use pouches that are designed to hold precise, small quantities of liquids, powders, gels, or granules.

They are commonly used in foodservice and personal care for portion control, travel applications and sampling, although there several other ways to use sachets: precise coffee doses, on the go snacking, pharmaceuticals, and cat and dog treats.

Market data indicates the global sachet packaging market is to grow at around 5 to 6% annually over the next decade. They sit within the overall flexible packaging market and represent a meaningful minority of the market’s value but a very high share of unit volumes. This is especially true in emerging markets.

As a result, these small but mighty products remain important for the flexible packaging sector and are an important part of the Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026 visitor experience.

Packs for the future

As a predominantly single use product, sachets have one of the more complex relationships with sustainability and recycling. Lauded for their convenience and suitability for on the go use, at the same time sachets are being scrutinised for their contribution to the plastic waste pile.

At Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026, exhibitors are showing how the sachets of tomorrow will be better equipped for the needs of the market and consumers, based on technology available today.

The following examples illustrate what can be experienced at the event.

Futamura (G76) has developed NatureFlex, a bio film based on renewable resources (wood pulp from managed plantations), which is certified to the European (EN13432) and American (ASTM D6400) norms for industrially compostable packaging. It is also certified to Vinçotte's OK Compost Home standard for home compostability.

Through a more recent collaboration with flexible packaging converter Repaq and machine producer GK Sondermaschinenbau, NatureFlex is directly tackling the recyclability and environmental credentials of sachets. A new compostable laminate includes a barrier cellulose film layer from Futamura as well as another biofilm to provide a hermetic seal. The structures have been certified as compostable, both in industrial and home settings. This fully compostable solution is able to pack ingredients such as ketchup or mustard, cooking sauces, or hand cream and has been proven to have no impact on pack performance or consumer interaction.

Extendo XZMU is a development by Taghleef Industries (P126) that transforms cosmetics sachets and packs into recyclable PP constructions. By replacing conventional aluminium foil and metallised PET films, Extendo XZMU transforms previously non recyclable packs into monomaterial solutions that can be processed through existing PP recycling streams, addressing one of the beauty industry’s most pressing sustainability challenges. The company has partnered with Packstyle to commercialise this solution, which enables cosmetics brands to achieve strategic brand differentiation in a competitive market, maintain product protection and integrity, and enhance the sustainability of packaging which resonates with beauty consumers.

Bicor MB100 from Jindal Films (D108) is a one side treated, clear and non sealable OPP film with improved heat stability and stiffness compared to standard OPP. High modulus provides outstanding mechanical properties, while the film also offers an enhanced water vapour transmission rate (WVTR). Bicor MB100 is intended for reverse printing as the outer web of a laminated structure, to help replace thin PET films and achieve mono-material PP rich or mixed polyolefin (PO) structures for improved recyclability of flexibles.

Quantum Packaging (D22) produces monomaterials and PA/PE constructions suitable for vertical (VFFS) and horizontal form fill seal (HFFS). These films can withstand highly acidic and high fat environments, seal well through contamination and can be adapted for use in hot fill conditions.

The monomaterial range of films for sachets can be refrigerated and/or frozen once sealed, providing additional material use flexibility.

Sachet films are printable with flexo or gravure, in up to eight colours with blue tint options also available.

Tungate Group (B76) specialises in paper faced printed sachets. This includes coated paper faced laminates that permit high definition printing (UV web offset litho and HD flexo in up to nine colours) and machine glazed bleached kraft paper faced laminates for a natural look and feel.

Specifically, the TG1 series of materials are widely recyclable paper/one side extrusion coated laminates that include high barrier and performance sealing options. TG2 are widely recyclable coated and machine glazed rustic paper/polyolefin laminates, including non metallised ultra high barrier and grease resistance options that are suitable for many snack food applications. One hundred percent pre-recycled paper/polymer extrusion grades are offered for cost effective non food applications.

As part of its ongoing development of sustainable sachets and flexible packaging, Tungate is assessing water based barrier and sealing coatings for paper, to ensure they deliver the required performance; reviewing the use of water based co-extrusion coatings onto papers, to provide fully polymer free high performance flexible packaging solutions; and advancing the use of water based adhesives in lamination to minimise polymer use within paper faced recyclable grades.

As these examples illustrate, innovation in sachets is critical as brands rely on them to provide environment conscious consumers with convenient packaging options that suit their busy lifestyles but don’t compromise on performance or sustainability.

Advances in barrier films, mono material structures, and recyclable or compostable laminates are central to reducing environmental impact while preserving product protection, shelf life, and branding impact.

Solutions that deliver this are available today and ready for tomorrow and will be seen across the exhibitor stands at Packaging Innovations & Empack 2026, when the event returns to the NEC, Birmingham – this week on 11 and 12 February.