Bausch + Lomb Unveils Transparent Packaging

Bausch + Lomb has introduced transparent packaging for its renu fresh multipurpose lens care solution. Collaborating with Amcor Rigid Plastics and industrial design firm R&D/Leverage, B+L has replaced the traditional white HDPE bottle with a clear custom PET container. Reportedly driven by consumer demand for a transparent container, the launch could represent a paradigm shift in lens care packaging.

“The new package had to precisely communicate key product attributes---the feeling of wearing a fresh pair of lenses cushioned in moisture,” said Daryl DuLong, global product manager, lens care B+L, in a press release. “With R&D/Leverage’s and Amcor’s support, we are changing the industry, which has long been dominated by contact lens solutions packaged in that ubiquitous white bottle and white label---packaging that has grown stale.”

According to the press release, B + L worked with R&D/Leverage for several years to develop the clear PET bottle with rounded shoulders. B + L and Amcor focused on developing a container that would be comfortable for consumers to squeeze.

“After extensive testing and refinement, we were able to achieve very tight wall tolerances that far exceeded the typical PET bottle,” said Matt Curtis, Amcor’s Southeast regional account manager, in the release. “Through proper material distribution, we developed an optimum wall thickness that enhanced the consumer experience.”

The renu fresh bottles are made of a healthcare-approved grade of PET. After blow molding and packaging in a cleanroom, the bottles are shipped to
B + L.

A clear, polyolefin pressure-sensitive label replaces the previous white label, maintaining package transparency. Texture was added to the bottle design to facilitate high-speed production and to enhance end-user ergonomics.

“This was a true collaboration,” said Larry Schumacher, national account manager for R&D/Leverage. “We worked engineer-to-engineer, in our U.S. and UK facilities, with intensive communication back and forth, every step of the way, to make sure each element of the project was perfect.”

The PET bottle will also be a key element of B+L’s new renu lens care portfolio. The PET bottle features a snap-on cap and is available in 2-oz, 4-oz, 8-oz, 12-oz, and 16-oz sizes.

B+L said in the press release that it plans to use the clear PET bottle as a new platform for future lens care products.