Bag on Valve: The Non-Conventional Aerosol

The bag on valve technology, over a decade old, is a form of clean aerosol dispensing technology that consists of a flexible aluminium/tinplate bag housed in a standard aerosol can. The primary feature of the bag on valve is that the product and the propellant exist separately in the dispensing system. This feature along with other advantages provides a number of marketing opportunities for the bag on valve in the retail markets through improved consumer convenience. Once considered a niche market for pharmaceutical applications only, bag on valves are finding increased usage in cosmetics and food applications. Overall, the features of bag on valve systems have a significant positive impact on consumer preference when compared to conventional aerosol dispensing systems. Sunscreens, sunless tanners, and shaving gels were among the first retail product categories to adopt bag on valves. Toothpastes adopted this technology at a later stage. However, till date, cosmetic (especially shaving gels) and pharmaceutical applications account for a bulk of the usage for this airless system.