Three families cover almost all frozen vegetable trade. Bulk industrial packs, typically a 10, 12.5, 15 or 20 kilogram polyethylene liner inside a corrugated case or a bulk bag, for further processing. Food service packs, usually 1 to 2.5 kilogram bags in plain or single-colour film, cased. And retail packs, most often 400 to 1000 gram printed pillow bags or stand-up pouches, sometimes with a resealable closure.
Film specification differs by format rather than by preference. Bulk liners are commonly 40 to 80 micron polyethylene chosen for puncture resistance and cold flexibility. Retail bags run roughly 50 to 90 microns as printed polyethylene or as a laminate where the print quality, barrier or a reseal feature requires it. Stand-up pouches are heavier again because the structure has to hold its shape. Those ranges move with fill weight and handling severity.
Four functional requirements apply to all of them. Cold-temperature flexibility, so the film does not crack at minus 18 degrees Celsius. Seal integrity on a filling line running cold product, where a single vegetable piece caught in the seal creates a leak path. A moisture barrier adequate for the declared shelf life, since moisture loss is what causes freezer burn. And puncture resistance appropriate to the piece shape, because stalk ends and dice corners are harder on film than peas are.
Every food contact material needs a declaration of compliance under Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 covering the intended conditions of use. If the pack is sold as microwaveable in the bag, the declaration must cover that use, not just frozen storage.
Pallet configuration is part of the packaging decision and is frequently left until last. Case dimensions that do not fit a Euro pallet footprint waste a measurable share of trailer volume, and a load that arrives with crushed lower layers usually has a case specification problem rather than a driver problem.
Retail formats also carry the labelling load, which is a separate constraint set out in the private label guide.