Custom Printed Food Packaging Cost in the UK: What Decides the Price

In short: there is no single price for custom printed food packaging, because every order is made around a different product, size, material, print and quantity. The cost per unit falls as quantity rises, and the price you are quoted is only comparable with another quote if both are for the same specification.

This guide explains what actually moves the price, so you can ask for quotes that compare properly and avoid paying for things you do not need.

Why custom packaging does not have one price

Off-the-shelf packaging is made in huge runs and sold from a shelf, so the price is a number on a website. Custom printed packaging is made to order. Your size, your board, your artwork and your quantity are set up and produced for you, so the price is built from your choices.

That is also why a supplier that only shows a price without asking what you serve is usually selling you something standard, not something made for your food.

The six things that decide the price

1. The product

A burger box, a hot cup, a pizza box and a delivery bag are made on different machines from different materials. A cup is not priced like a box, and a box with a window is not priced like one without. Start with the product you actually need, such as burger boxes, hot cups or delivery bags.

2. The size

Bigger packaging uses more material, so it costs more per unit. This is the easiest place to overspend. A box that is a few millimetres too large for your burger costs more and also lets the food move around. Getting the size right for your food is cheaper and works better, which is why we recommend a size after you tell us what you serve.

3. The material and board strength

Kraft or white board, thinner or stronger, with or without a grease-resistant or heat-resistant lining: each choice changes the price. Match the strength to the food. A hot, greasy burger needs more from the board than a dry pastry, and a double wall cup costs more than a single wall cup because it uses more material. Paying for strength you do not need is wasted money, and so is saving on strength you do need, because a box that softens on delivery costs you in refunds and reviews.

4. The printing

Three things matter here:

• How many colours. A one colour logo is simpler than a full colour pattern.
• How much of the packaging is printed. A small logo on one side is different from all over print on every surface.
• Inside or outside printing. Printing both is more than printing one.

A clean one colour design on a well chosen board often looks better than a busy one and costs less.

5. The quantity

Quantity has the biggest effect on the cost of each unit. Custom printing has set up costs that are spread across the run, so a larger run means a lower cost per box. That is also why each product has a minimum order. You can see the minimum for each product on its page: for example, cups start at 5,000 and burger boxes at 15,000. The practical question is not only what a single unit costs but how long a run lasts you. If you would rather not hold a large order on your own premises, we can keep your packaging in UK storage and send it out as you need it.

6. Delivery and storage

Packaging is bulky. Where it is delivered, how many drops you want and whether you need it stored all change the total. Ask whether delivery is included in the quote or added later, and whether storage is offered, so that two quotes are comparable.

What should not be a surprise

When you compare quotes, check that each one clearly states:

• The exact product, size and material.
• The number of colours and where they print.
• The quantity the price is for.
• Whether artwork and design help are included.
• Whether delivery is included.
• Whether a sample is included before production.

If a quote is missing any of these, ask. A low price for a lower specification is not a saving.

How to get a quote you can compare

1. Say what you serve. The food decides the packaging, not the other way round.
2. Give a rough quantity. Daily orders times the days you want to cover is enough to start. Our guide to ordering packaging in volume shows how to work it out.
3. Send your logo or an idea. We can create the design with you, and design support is free.
4. Ask for a sample. Test it with your own food before you commit. Production starts only after you approve the sample, and then production and delivery typically take 30 to 35 days.

If you already have a price in mind

If you know what you pay now or what you can afford, send it. You can share a photo of the packaging you use today, your quantity and a target unit price on our target price page, and we will tell you whether we can match it and with what specification.

Get a quote for your business

Tell us what you serve and roughly how many orders you take, and we will recommend the packaging, the size and a quantity that suits you. Get a quote.