With the rise in popularity of vitamins, over-the-counter (OTC) drugs, pharmaceuticals and nutraceuticals owing to the increased focus on health and well-being, the demand for appropriate packaging has also risen.

Going for growth

The markets for OTC products, vitamins and nutraceuticals are all on the rise. The predicted growth statistics in all three sectors, even before COVID-19, showed strong compound annual growth rates. 

The global OTC market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecasted period (2017–2025), with the vitamins market projected to have a CAGR of 7.3% by 2023 and the nutraceutical sector predicted to have a 7.5% CAGR by 2025.1–3

These CAGRs have the potential to continue to increase, particularly as the global pandemic focuses consumer minds on health and well-being. As Andrea Wroble, Health and Wellness Analyst with Mintel, commented: “The threat of getting sick during a global pandemic may increase future proactive measures adults take to stay healthy.

"Consumers’ priority of healthy living will expand to include protection from illness and mitigating feelings of uncertainty.”4

Changing packaging demands

Changing global demands, population growth, chronic lifestyle conditions such as obesity and diabetes and the increasing threat of counterfeit and falsified medicines are, amongst others, challenges that pharmaceutical manufacturers are juggling.

Pharmaceutical packaging plays an important part in delivering product and patient protection and, unsurprisingly, the global pharmaceutical packaging market size is projected to be valued at $188.79 billion by 2027, exhibiting a CAGR of 8.5% during the forecast period.5

Material integrity, convenience and proof of any tamper-evidence are all a priority in pharma packaging. Thanks to increasing demand for patient-orientated medicines and more sustainable, convenient packaging, pharma packaging looks set to continue to evolve during the coming years. 

New focus on hygienic-to-open packaging

With the arrival of a global pandemic, a new demand for hygienic-to-open packaging has also been birthed. As consumers become acutely aware of the ease with which germs can be transferred, even the process of opening medication is in question.

With this increased sensitivity has come a demand for ways to open medication that means that as little of the packaging is touched as possible. At the same time, the container must still demonstrate the product’s integrity, provenance and tamper-evidence whilst being easy to open.

Owing to this sea-change in consumer requirements, more pharma manufacturers are turning to packaging providers such as Selig for creative, hygienic-to-open solutions. Selig has been working on a pioneering packaging concept that will offer enormous benefits for the elderly or those with dexterity issues … as well as the general population.

The concept – called Top Tab 2 TamperSeal – is a liner for containers that hold pharmaceuticals, nutraceuticals and OTC medicines. It enables the packaging to have a tamper-evident, hermetic seal while also being easy and hygienic to open.

The product is a two-piece liner that doesn’t require the need for tools or a finger to puncture the tamper-evident seal, thus avoiding the potential introduction of microbes into the packaging. It also comes with a Lift ‘n’ Peel TamperSeal tab that ensures the seal is quick and easy to open and remove even when wearing protective gloves.

As the ramifications of a global pandemic continue to unfold, innovations such as this small yet significant seal can help pharma manufacturers to deliver the ultimate in product and patient protection in these uncertain times.