Just about every grocery shopper has experienced the frustration of trying to see the contents of a fogged-up frozen food case. Stores have traditionally used door heaters to reduce the condensation that occurs when the freezer is opened, admitting warm air from the store.
Door heaters can be expensive in terms of energy costs, time-consuming to install and not particularly effective in preventing and clearing the fogging.
The new Lexan film with an adhesive backing is easy and quick to install and requires little maintenance. The Lexan film’s optical clarity, combined with a long-term anti-fog coating, allows products inside the case to remain fully visible to shoppers.
As an added benefit, by printing on the coated side of the Lexan film, stores or manufacturers can add branding and advertising to the display cases.
Sabic Innovative Plastics is trialing the Lexan film material in freezers at more than 20 US supermarket chains and seven international chains.
“Fogged display cases are frustrating for shoppers and costly for merchants who must pay for extra cooling when consumers stand in front of an open door to check out the ice cream,” said Mike Laurin, Lexan film product manager, Sabic Innovative Plastics.
“Until now, stores have been forced to choose between the cost of heating frozen food glass doors or using standard anti-fog coatings that scratch easily and require special cleaning procedures. Our durable anti-fog Lexan film is a great solution for the customer and the store, helping to improve product presentation and boosting sales whilst cutting energy costs.”
