Snappd: One-hand soap dispensing innovation boosts hygiene amid COVID-19 crisis

22 Apr 2020 --- UK-based Lifestyle Packaging has designed a novel one-hand dispensing mechanism for alcohol-based hand sanitizer coined Snappd. The product is a brandable packaging innovation, developed to deliver a single dose solution with minimal contact when dispensing liquid. The launch comes as hand sanitizer production is skyrocketing due to the COVID-19 outbreak. According to the company, Snappd offers an even more sanitary solution than traditional plastic unit dose bottles, which can be touched by several people and contribute to the spread of bacteria and viruses.

“Safety, accuracy and efficiency are the main characteristics of Snappd. We are offering this pouch for thousands of applications providing opportunities not thought previously possible. The product was developed to create a new way of delivering a single dose for a range of applications. We have initially launched with hand sanitizer as contents, which is great to see particularly at this present moment with the COVID-19 outbreak,” Richard Quelch, Global Head of Marketing at Origin Pharma Packaging, tells PackagingInsights.

Quelch goes on to explain that Snappd is unique as it avoids multiple contact. The sachet can dispense a single dose of hand sanitiser gel by simply bending it in half with one hand, keeping contact to a minimum.

The sachet can dispense a single dose of hand sanitiser gel by simply bending it in half with one hand, keeping contact to a minimum.“We are also working with companies who are using it for energy drinks, topical creams and liquid make up – the possibilities are endless with Snappd,” he adds.

Better for business, better for the environment
Snappd also delivers cost and environmental savings when compared to other dispensing solutions on the market, Quelch continues. Each compact pack contains 250 single-use Snappd sachets, allowing to transport large volumes using minimal space.

The packaging is made from mono-polymer material, which is easy to collect, sort and recycle. More than 80 percent of the packaging materials are made from renewable resources.

“Snappd is currently being marketed in a B2B capacity, with Lifestyle Packaging technologists providing custom packaging design services, utilizing full four color printing to showcase brands attractively,” Quelch says.

“We only supply B2B companies but we will appoint partners if required to service consumer requirements,” he adds.

“The actual design and cut of the Snappd sachet can be customized too, from the shape of a syringe to the shape of a bottle, which is an exciting development for the product,” he explains.

Variety in shape and applications
The Snappd mechanism has a variety of customised opening functions for different personal care and food products, details Quelch. For example, it has a halfmoon shape for high viscosity products like cosmetic creams and honey; a zig-zag shape for powders and granules; and a rectangular shape for medium viscosity products for spread applications. The triangular shape is used for holding and dispensing antibacterial hand gel and other precise applications of liquid and semi-liquid products.

Snappd is also suitable for energy drinks, topical creams and liquid make up applications.“Costs are determined by product size, fill capacity and volume. Snappd is a cost effective packaging format,” Quelch says.

The product is made within the EU and typically, unless the packed products require special storage conditions, Snappd packaged products can be stored at ambient temperature, usually for a minimum of 12 months, he adds.

The company controls the filling process of the packs in a controlled environment and clients can choose from three material types – compostable, recyclable and bio-based,” Quelch concludes.

Hot property hand sanitizer
As demand for hand sanitizers and soaps is rising in light of the COVID-19 outbreak, major personal care players are making charitable moves to help ameliorate the crisis. After the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) guidance allowing alcohol companies to produce hand sanitizers, a slew of brands also joined the bandwagon.

Beyond sanitizers, consumers are also grabbing hand soaps from retailer shelves to improve hygiene as part of containing the coronavirus. Hand soap companies are experiencing peaked sales and material sourcing hurdles alike. PackagingInsights previously spoke with Jasper Gabriëlse, Co-Founder of Dutch cleaning products company Seepje, who explained how his company’s 97 percent recycled HDPE bottles are circumventing critical supply chain disruptions while offering an environmentally sustainable product, both inside and out.

By Kristiana Lalou

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