What Is the Most Popular Food & Drink Packaging for Summer?

Summer is one of the busiest times of year for food and drink businesses, with increased demand for chilled products and packaging that must withstand warmer conditions.

In this article, we explain how warmer weather can affect packaging performance and share some of the most popular food and drink packaging for summer. 

With a wide range of recyclable and compostable solutions, easipac provides businesses with practical and eco-friendly food packaging options, including products suited to summer conditions.

Key Takeaways

• Warmer months increase pressure on food and drink packaging due to higher trading volumes, increased handling, heat and humidity affecting performance and storage, and more on-the-go and outdoor consumption, requiring secure, practical packaging in less-controlled environments. 
• easipac’s summer packaging range includes cups, lids, bottles, paper straws, salad containers, deli pots, portion pots, tableware, and single-use cutlery, providing practical solutions for cold drinks, chilled food, and outdoor foodservice.
• Our range includes recyclable and compostable materials, such as RPET, paper, bagasse, birchwood, PLA, CPLA, polystyrene, and dispersion-coated paper, helping businesses choose sustainable packaging that best suits their products and disposal requirements. 

How Do Summer Conditions Affect Packaging Performance?

Warmer conditions over the summer months can impact packaging performance. Understanding these challenges can help you choose the right solution for your business. 

Higher Volumes & Increased Handling

Warmer months can bring higher trading volumes for many food and beverage businesses. Larger numbers of orders mean packaging is being packed, stacked, transported, and handled more frequently throughout the day. 

This places greater demand on packaging to remain sturdy and stable, particularly when products are stacked for storage or moved through delivery and service processes.

Heat & Humidity Challenges 

Higher temperatures and humidity can create additional pressures for both food and its packaging. For instance, heat-sensitive foods may lose structure more quickly, while condensation from chilled drinks can affect grip and presentation. 

Exposure to warm or humid conditions for longer periods can also increase the risk of leakage or reduce the strength of some packaging formats.

Challenges of Outdoor & On-the-Move Use 

During the summer, customers are more likely to eat and drink in parks, at events, in outdoor seating areas, or while travelling. Unlike traditional dine-in settings, these environments offer fewer flat surfaces and less controlled conditions. 

Packaging, therefore, needs to be easy to carry, secure during use, and simple to dispose of after consumption.

Most Popular Food & Drink Packaging for Summer

Summer trading places unique demands on food and beverage packaging. The right solutions need to support consistent service, protect product quality, and hold up under busy day-to-day conditions. 

1. Cups and Bottles

Cold drinks are a key part of summer menus across businesses like cafés, coffee shops, and juice bars. Refreshing beverages such as iced coffees, smoothies, fresh juices, and milkshakes typically see higher demand during the warmer months, particularly in takeaway and grab-and-go environments where speed of service, reliability, and ease of handling matter.

easipac’s clear RPET Custom Plastic Cups are perfect for cold drinks, providing a rigid and reliable cup structure that holds its shape during filling, carrying, and consumption. This helps reduce spill risk in busy service environments while still allowing drinks to be clearly presented and easily identified during preparation and handover. 

Our cups are complemented with Clear Cup Lids, including domed and flat, helping secure drinks for takeaway and transport while making them easier for customers to carry and consume on the move. 

Other popular options include Clear Plastic Bottles, perfect for showcasing juices, water, and cold-pressed drinks. Crystal-clear sides perfectly display your beverage, while its rigid structure offers a practical alternative to glass without the breakage risk. Caps are included, helping keep drinks securely sealed for storage, display, and use. 

Did You Know? RPET is a recyclable material made with up to 70% recycled PET materials. It offers the same durability and clarity as virgin plastic but with a significantly reduced environmental impact, making it a sustainable choice for cold beverage containers.

2. Paper Straws 

Complementing cups and bottles, straws remain an important consideration for drink service in summer, particularly as more beverages are served and consumed quickly.

Our easipac Paper Straws are designed for everyday drink service, staying firm during use so they do not soften or break down while drinking. They are available in a range of vibrant colours and sizes, making them suitable for different drinks such as smoothies, milkshakes, and soft drinks. 

Did You Know? Our paper straws are made from responsibly sourced wood pulp and are PEFC or FSC-certified. They are recyclable after use, making them a practical option for reducing plastic use in everyday drink service.

3. Cold Food Containers & Pots

Lighter food options such as salads, fruit pots, desserts, and deli-style snacks also become increasingly more popular during the summer months. These items are commonly sold by cafés, delis, coffee shops, and food-to-go businesses, where fresh presentation can play an important role in customer purchasing decisions.

RPET Disposable Plastic Food Containers by easipac are ideal for these food products. For instance, our Disposable Salad Bowls with Lids are designed to showcase fresh ingredients, giving customers a clear view of colourful salads and chilled food before purchase. The flip-top design provides easy opening and secure closure, making them suitable for food-to-go service where presentation and convenience are equally important.

For smaller portions, Clear Deli Pots & Lids are ideal for salads, dips, snacks, and desserts. The transparent packaging allows products to be clearly seen, while the universal snap-on lid provides a tight seal to help keep food fresh, secure, and prevent spills in transit. 

Our Portion Pots with Lids are another popular option for serving smaller food portions alongside chilled meals. Available in both clear RPET and bagasse formats, they give businesses the flexibility to choose between two sustainability-focused materials, with RPET offering a recyclable plastic option and bagasse providing a compostable fibre-based alternative. The compact pot format helps keep portions consistent and controlled, supporting efficient service and helping reduce unnecessary waste. 

4. Disposable Tableware & Cutlery 

During the summer season, there is an increased demand for outdoor dining, events, picnics, festivals, and takeaway food where meals are eaten immediately after purchase. This creates a need for practical, single-use tableware and cutlery that supports easy consumption without compromising on convenience.

Eco-Friendly Bagasse Tableware, featuring Fibre Plates, are made from bagasse, a natural byproduct of sugarcane. Bagasse is fully compostable, making it an eco-friendly choice for disposable food packaging. These sturdy plates are available in a range of sizes and are designed to handle hot, cold, and oily foods without compromising strength or structure.

Our range of single-use Cutlery is another fantastic solution for summer. Our sturdy Paper Cutlery includes knives, forks, and spoons, which are made from responsibly sourced wood pulp and allow for convenient use in casual dining and takeaway environments. 

Meanwhile, our Wooden Cutlery products are crafted from smooth birchwood, a natural and renewable material known for its strength and durability. Sourced sustainably, it is compostable, making it a practical and eco-friendly choice for utensils and disposables. 

How easipac Supports Summer Food & Drink Service

As food and beverage businesses move into busier summer trading periods, demand increases across takeaway, café, and quick-service environments. 

easipac is a premier food packaging supplier that provides sustainable food and drink packaging solutions designed to meet these operational needs. Here are a few reasons businesses choose packaging from us:

• Range built for foodservice demand: Packaging for cold drinks, chilled food, food-to-go, and outdoor dining, supporting the operational needs of food and drink businesses during peak summer trading. 
• Material choices and disposal clarity: A defined range of compostable materials, including bagasse, birchwood, PLA, and CPLA, alongside recyclable options such as paper, RPET, polystyrene, and dispersion-coated paper, helping to reduce environmental impact.
• Custom branding: We offer custom printed packaging, allowing businesses to apply their own logos, colours, and designs, allowing brands to effectively reflect their identity.
• Tailored advice and personal support: As a family-run UK business, easipac offers direct, practical support from real people. Businesses can get guidance on product selection, materials, and suitability for different foodservice needs.
• Reliable UK delivery service: We deliver across the UK using our own drivers and logistics network, ensuring orders arrive safely and on time. 

Contact easipac today to explore reliable, high-quality packaging designed to meet the demands of summer food and beverage service. For sustainable packaging, take it Easi.