Abstract: In a vacuum skin package wrinkles and weak spots are avoided by providing a tray as the support or backing member rather than a flat sheet, the angle of the walls as they diverge outwardly being 91.degree. to 160.degree.. Especially useful is such a package when provided with a lid for stacking purposes.

Abstract: By providing raised peripheral edges, preferably walls, for the supporting member of a vacuum skin package, a superior vacuum package is achieved when a product is vacuum packaged on such a supporting number. Wrinkles and weak spots are avoided. Preferably, the raised edges are formed in-line as the package is made.

Abstract: The invention provides a method of vacuum packing by defining a "dummy product" 17 alongside a product article 14 on a support sheet so that any "webbing" 18 is to the side of that projection 17 which faces away from the adjacent product article 14. That projection 17 can subsequently be trimmed to leave a webbing-free pack. Cutting down webbing reduces the risk of leakage of the pack. Preferably the height of the projection 17 is adjusted in response to the height of a product article 14 so that the extent of such webbing 18 is at a minimum.

Abstract: An easy-open pack is formed by (a) pre-cutting a corner of a film panel which, in the finished pack, forms one panel to be sealed against another panel around the periphery of a product article to close the pack, and (b) carrying out the sealing operation while holding the tab formed by said pre-cut corner displaced away from contact with the other film panel, preferably by folding the tab back on itself, more preferably while tack sealing it in said folded configuration.