Retail packaging does two jobs at once: it sells the item where nobody is standing beside it, and it sets the carton dimensions that decide how many units fit in a container. Those two jobs pull in opposite directions, which is why the pack is a planning decision rather than a finishing one.
The pack types and what each one is doing
| Channel | Pack | What it has to do |
|---|---|---|
| Supermarket shelf | Printed colour box | Read at three metres and stack squarely |
| Counter or aisle display | PDQ | Hold a facing, be seen, be refilled |
| Specialty retail | Open or windowed pack | Let the finish be handled |
| E-commerce | Mailer | Survive transit and be returned |
| Wholesale or own-label | Plain box | Protect in transit and stop |
The two numbers it changes
- Units per carton. A printed box or a PDQ has a larger footprint than a plain box, so the same master carton holds fewer pieces.
- Container loading. Which follows from the carton. We do not publish a fixed loading figure because it depends on the final pack-out, the palletisation and the destination — it is calculated rather than quoted.
What to settle before the pack goes to print
- The claims on the pack. Every mark and claim has to be one the product actually holds for that market.
- The item number. It has to match the item number on the site and in the catalogue, or the pack becomes the one place the range disagrees with itself.
- Whether the bottle is approved first. Printing a box around an unapproved colour is the most expensive way to find out the colour needed to change.
Questions buyers ask
Can I supply my own packaging to the factory?
Sometimes, and it is a logistics arrangement rather than a production one. It has to be agreed before packing, because it changes the carton.
Is a printed box worth it?
On a shelf where the customer cannot touch the product, yes. In a rack where they can, an open pack often does more.
Does the pack affect the minimum?
Yes — a printed box has its own minimum from the packaging supplier, which is independent of the bottle minimum.
Packing is quoted with the product rather than assumed; the cost guide lists it as one of the five lines.
