thumb|Ice cream in a squround container.

thumb|Round corner tub of [[cottage cheese, lid, and lidding film]]

A squround, scround or sqround is a container with a shape between a square and a round tub. It resembles an oval but is sometimes closer to a rectangle with rounded corners. These allow the contents to be easily scooped out of the container. The name is a portmanteau for "square round" (cartons), referring to a compromise between a square and a round carton.

As an adjective, squround has been applied to other objects, such as watches or swimming pools.

Usage within food packaging

Ice cream squround containers

The term applies mostly to ice cream packaging design, cylindrical half-gallons and other containers is motivated by consumer preference, as well as cost effectiveness. These packages are more rectangular than square, but the side edges are rounded, while top and bottom surfaces are completely flat. Squround packaging affords some of the consumer appeal of traditional cylindrical packaging, while also packing tightly like brick-shaped square cartons.

The container is usually made of paperboard but can have thermoformed or injection molded plastic components. There is usually a separate lid made of paperboard, plastic, or both.

It offers several advantages over other ice cream packages:

  • It can be easily scooped out
  • It allows for better brand recognition (over the round half-gallon) since the flatter front is a more legible "billboard" for each flavor
  • The lid has a tighter seal They attributed the new design to make the containers "simple to hold, pour and store".

See also

  • Squircle
  • Fillet (mechanics)
  • Chamfer

References

  • Yam, K.L., Encyclopedia of Packaging Technology, John Wiley & Sons, 2009,