A blow molded plastic hot-fill container includes at least one vacuum
panel for inward flexure under vacuum after the container is hot-filled
and capped. The vacuum panel is externally concave as viewed in cross
section from a first direction and externally convex as viewed in cross
section from a second direction orthogonal to the first direction. The at
least one vacuum panel preferably is disposed in a sidewall of the
container, which preferably is of generally uniform wall thickness, and
preferably includes an array of vacuum panels angularly spaced around an
axis of the container.