The packaging of foodstuffs has become an independent scientific discipline. New techniques and new types of material are continuously being developed.

Over the last few years, legislation concerning packaging has been a point of interest. To reduce the environmental impact of packaging, European governments have established requirements for the packaging industry. For instance, the re-use of packaging materials has been stimulated, and packaging agreements include stringent requirements regarding the quantity of packaging material used. As a result, the quality standards for packaging material are continuously being raised. Many companies in the cocoa and chocolate industry have joined forces to meet the environmental requirements as a branch.

This chapter describes in detail how to handle cocoa and chocolate products, which packaging requirements are to be established, and which aspects require special attention. In addition, it deals with the available types of packaging and materials.