Editing Packaging (section)

==Packaging types==
[[File:Food packages (1).jpg|right|thumb|Various types of household packaging for foods]]
Packaging may be of several different types. For example, a ''transport package'' or ''distribution package'' can be the [[shipping container]] used to ship, store, and handle the product or inner packages.  Some identify a ''consumer package'' as one which is directed toward a consumer or household.

Packaging may be described in relation to the type of product being packaged: [[medical device]] packaging, bulk [[chemical substance|chemical]] packaging, [[over-the-counter drug]] packaging, retail [[food packaging]], military [[materiel]] packaging, [[Medication|pharmaceutical]] packaging, etc.

It is sometimes convenient to categorize packages by layer or function: ''primary'', ''secondary'', ''tertiary'',etc.
* Primary packaging is the material that first envelops the product and holds it. This usually is the smallest unit of distribution or use and is the package which is in direct contact with the contents.
* Secondary packaging is outside the primary packaging, and may be used to prevent pilferage or to group primary packages together.
* Tertiary or transit packaging is used for [[logistics|bulk handling]], [[warehouse]] storage and [[transport]] shipping. The most common form is a [[pallet]]ized [[unit load]] that packs tightly into [[containerization|container]]s.

These broad categories can be somewhat arbitrary.  For example, depending on the use, a [[shrink wrap]] can be primary packaging when applied directly to the product, secondary packaging when used to combine smaller packages, or tertiary packaging when used to facilitate some types of distribution, such as to affix a number of cartons on a pallet.

Packaging can also have categories based on the package form.  For example, ''thermoform packaging'' and ''flexible packaging'' describe broad usage areas.