The shelf in which produce sit in the supermarkets and other retail outlets is constantly evolving.  Retail and shelf ready packaging have become part and parcel of the shopper experience over a large and varied range of industries.

We live in an era of the marketer; everything from strapping to tape has become branded in the packaging world. Why shouldn’t the boxes supplied to stores also offer promotion and generate sales. When you’re walking around a supermarket, brands are looking for any in store touching points they can get! This is why this style of packaging and marketing departments harmonies so well.

What is Shelf Ready Packaging (SRP) or Retail Ready Packaging (RRP)?

The primary purpose of SRP is to ensure that products which are packed in SRP are quickly and easily placed on the supermarket or shop shelf without the need for any unpacking and re-stacking.

Shelf ready packaging comes in many forms and covers all types of packaging specifically designed for retail.

Secondary purpose of shelf ready or retail packaging is to collate and protect your products.  To qualify as SRP the packaging should be: 

·      Easy to identify

·      Easy to open

·      Easy to dispose of

·      Easy to shelf

·      Easy to shop

These elements of SRP or RRP will help to successfully move your products through the supply chain.

Effect of Good Retail Packaging in store include

·      Good merchandising

·      Branding and increased consumer communication

·      Less risk on new ranges or products

·      Product selection made easier

·      Faster store replenishment, some leading supermarket won’t accept non RRP for this reason

Effect on Supply Chain (remember 90% of packaging costs are hidden)

·      Sophisticated design enables better design, less damages and refunded items

·      Streamlined process

·      Maximum amount of product per pallet, less lorries and better for the environment

·      Less storage space needed

The Corrugated industry is continuously evolving and through clever design and experience we enable companies to drastically save money and lower their carbon footprint.

Please write an enquiry or call one of our friendly, well trained staff at 01491 834000

In an age of social media, it is very common knowledge how much marketers put into all forms of digital channels for the launch of any new products. In many projects, the packaging time and time again seems to be an afterthought.

A new report has shown how important good packaging design can be for the introduction of a new product. Research firm Nielsen analyzed 9,900 product launched across Europe for its Breakthrough Innovation report. Which concluded that packaging design is the least aspect of marketing that is published yet it was a major factor in the most successful product launches over the last two years.

“Packaging design is the dark horse of the marketing world. It receives little attention compared to other marketing decisions, and its impact tends to be vastly underestimated,” Said Ben Schubert, SVP at Nielsen Innovation Practice.

With consumer marketing nearly 60% of their product decision at the store shelf, it isn’t hard to imagine, design that will help you stand out will be important.

At Packaging Supplies we position ourselves in the market, stressing the importance of all the views above.  We offer a step-by-step service in custom and bespoke packaging projects, for any new products or projects.

Good packaging design is also important in getting your goods to the shelf not just sitting on them. Through the use of our online packaging shop, we have invested in a range of postal boxes so you can send your products in style. These boxes have a hinged lid and are self-locking making them perfect for any e-commerce company.

Amazon just can’t seem to get their packaging quite right, and it’s no wonder really, with over 480 million different products to pack and an average of over 608 million packages to ship each year . . . 

Think again.  It is true that the company is over 100 years old, but that hasn't been without it's bumps in the road, namely its association with terrifying biker gangs.  In reality, for the last 4 years running, Harley Davidson has spent just 15% of it's marketing budget on traditional media.

Identify your audience

Here’s the thing, Harley Davidson isn’t selling motorbikes, they’re selling a lifestyle, an emotional attachment to the freeing and liberating experience of an open road. That’s what they’re marketing to. Bike sales are the byproduct.

John Russell, former MD of Harley Davidson Europe, once said:

“Harley Davidson sells to 43-year-old accountants the ability to dress in leather, ride through small towns and have people be afraid of them.”

No mention of engines, brakes, or steering. This is the emotional connection that the company nurtures. The very idea of Harley Davidson, its riders and community transcends way beyond the concept of an automotive manufacturer.

It’s important to recognise who are your customers and ask yourself who you are marketing to? Know their identity and embrace it, represent them and define them through your brand and your packaging.

Make your mark

Once you’ve identified your customer, you can focus your efforts on being noticed. Harley riders know that you don’t just ride a Harley Davidson, you need to dress the part as well, and naturally, only Harley leathers would do. You don’t need to own or even ride a bike to wear a jacket, fashion is open to anyone.

In this way, the brand became iconic.

Consumers form a community and loyalty soon follows. Harley riders embrace the culture as their way of life with wearers of their clothes turning into brand-advocates. How many companies can claim as many branded tattoos as Harley Davidson? If you make your mark, so will your customers.

Find a stage

A captive audience is great. A loyal following is even better. A passionate fan-base who spread their experiences by word-of- mouth, is the pinnacle of brand strength. In order to get to this stage your followers need to have a platform from which to shout to the masses and sing your praises. Harley Davidson recognised this and wanted to channel all the adulation and enjoyment of the Harley lifestyle. In doing so they created the Harley Owners Group (H.O.G.), connecting customers and expanding the network.

In order to fuel the effects of the platform and inspire greater loyalty, the H.O.G. is free to join for the first year and members are offered special promotions.

Crowd source your ideas

Harley does use agencies for media and digital projects, but continues to rely on customers for creative ad ideas. As a result the company actually invests less than a million dollars on advertising each year.

Invest in your marketing

Harley Davidson realised that if they focus on their brand and their customers then new business leads would be generated organically. They would also be high quality and founded on a taste for kinsmanship, community, and becoming a feared 43-year- old accountant.

It’s all about understanding the full value of a lifetime customer. Imagine you run a business where the lifetime customer value is £15,000 then you could buy a lead for £4,500.

The cost of the lead might seem high, but you still make lots of money. That’s the mentality of marketing as an investment, not an expense. Teaching yourself to make this shift will help you to evaluate the high return that your investment could achieve.

Remember, the Harley Owners Group is free to join for the first year, so consider the cost of running this self-sustaining network against the potential revenue in motorbike sales. Consider also the cost of producing Harley Davidson leather jackets and associated apparel – a sellable product and a marketing tool.

Get in touch today to find out how could you invest in your marketing to make your brand and packaging work harder for you, for less.

Contract Packing & Custom Packaging – All in One place 

Looking to reduce operational costs and free up valuable time and work space? 

Not all products will fit snugly into your square or rectangular packing box, and if you have void space, the box could become crushed and the product invariably damaged.  Quickly fill your void space with our biodegradable packing chips.  The packing chips will cushion and protect your items in transit by absorbing impact or juddering.  We can supply our loosefill in a polythene bag or boxed for storing more easily – order here for next day delivery.

Stretch-wrap is essential for all palletised loads or for binding together more than one parcel.  The water-resistant material will protect your consignments from the elements and make your loads safer to ship.  We have clear or black hand applied pallet wrap available today for next day delivery.

The Unboxing Experience

Packaging is becoming a lot more than just a means to keep your products safe during transit. Creating a lasting impression with the unboxing experience, is an important marketing tool and is becoming increasingly popular across many sectors.

The mobile phone market is a good example of this. They have really utilised the power of packaging, and over the years we have seen an increase in design complexity, as well as the overall quality and finish.

Why is the Unboxing Experience so important?

For ecommerce companies, the first physical point of contact you make with your customer is when the package arrives with them.  Therefore, it makes perfect sense to give a good first impression of your brand or product, and a positive lasting impression, through well designed and well-presented packaging.

A co-founder of Innocent Smoothies commented at a business funding show that he believed Packaging is the most important aspect of marketing, particularly for a Fast-Moving Consumer Goods range.  He has been quoted saying “I think realistically, for most FMCG products, the packaging is more important than the product. It is how you get noticed and create desire, inputting what you stand for”.

How does the Unboxing Experience Work?

In a nutshell, it’s all about adding perceived value to your product.  When a customer receives their goods in packaging that gives a sense of quality, they feel its good value for money, it makes people happy and keen to tell their friends, often through social media. 

A study by dotcom distribution revealed that 1 in 10 young adults will share a photo of an online order, if the packaging stood out to them, and you only have to look at YouTube to see the numerous videos showing personal unboxing experiences.

The same study by dotcom, proved that a customer is more likely to make repeat purchases from a provider they deem to have premium packaging.

How can I improve my packaging quality and design?

If you would like to improve your customer's unboxing experience, through quality product packaging and good quality printing, please get in touch with us.

We can guide you on the packaging materials and print process that most suits your individual requirements.

Postal & mailing boxes are perfect for sending parcels through the post or courier system.  These are sturdy and secure boxes, ready for posting, just add some tape or a personalised sticker to make them tamper evident and they are good to go.

We have a great range of postal boxes available in brown or white.  Delivery is next day, so don’t delay and order them from us today.

BRC, which stands for British Retail Consortium, is the number one global market leading GFSI (Global Food Safety Initiative) scheme. Our BRC Accreditation allows us to store food & non-food grade packaging and stationery items destined for restaurants, food retailers, hotels or any other business that handles food, or where products come in to contact with food.

This accreditation means that we follow strict working guidelines to ensure the supply chain meets industry standards and that our products are manufactured to industry quality standards and are stored in a clean controlled environment. 

Why BRC is important to us ……………..

• BRC is a mark of good working practice
• All products manufactured by Packaging Supplies are subjected to vigorous quality checks
• Every item that is manufactured, stored and distributed by Packaging Supplies has full traceability

Why BRC is important to our customers……………

• Customer are assured that their goods are manufactured to European Environmental Standards
• Products are stored in secure and hygienic environment
• Products are handled and distributed with full traceability

Our customers are safe in the knowledge that they are dealing with a business that reaches high levels of competence, in all critical areas.

View our certificate here

• It has excellent strength, durability and longevity in comparison to similar materials
• It is easily cleaned allowing for multipurpose uses, making it perfect for medical / clean rooms
• It is resistant to moisture, grease, oil and most chemicals

• It can be easily fabricated to create durable, hard-wearing packaging and handling products
• It can be used as floor protection, shuttering, hoarding etc. within the construction industry
• It is commonly used for temporary signage in real estate sales and is used widely for promotions

• Various sheet sizes and thicknesses
• A range of colours to match your brand or specific application
• Fabric covered, fire retardent material

A London advertising agency asked us to produce a couple of promotional cartons for Ferrari’s 70th Anniversary celebrations.  Ferrari were looking for a chip carton to hold some polenta chips and also mini burger box to take a hamburger. 

These cartons were digitally printed to the highest standard on a 500micron folding box board.  We can supply folding display cartons in both standard and food grade materials and we are BRC certified for the storage of food & non-food grade packaging.  In this case the cartons were to be lined with grease proof paper, which we can also provide in plain or printed with the clients own branding.

This job was produced to a very tight deadline with dates that could not be moved due to the cartons being required at a specific event.  In many cases advertising agencies work with short lead times for their projects. In these cases we will always do everything in our power to meet these deadlines, delivering your boxes on time, every time.

We had the artwork guidelines and the Ferrari logo’s sent to us and for a small additional fee we created a number of  artwork and colour variations for  Ferrari to choose from. 

Within 7 days these promotional printed cartons were designed, die cut, printed, hand glued and delivered in time for the event.  All thanks to the expert knowledge and flexibility of our digital manufacturing unit.

• Supplied flat packed, so they take up very little storage space
• Quick and easy to pack and assemble
• Can be stacked and strapped neatly to a pallet once packed
• No problems with passing through label readers
• No rolling around
• Easily branded with your company logo

We can make to varying widths and lengths and the triangular tubes can be made with different features, such as tuck in tabs and/or peel and seal closures.

To find out more and to get a quotation for your exact requirements, please get in touch with us.

One of the market drivers for good display packaging are the cost benefits for retailers. The brand and product type should be easily identified by staff, which will reduce the time taken to sort, open and display products.  Because this increases efficiency of labour it will positively improve the overall performance of the retail outlet.  With a good print design, the display packaging will aid brand recognition and help to increase sales.

Brandon Consultants have recently done just that and aided by their packaging manufacture, launched a new packaging design for BirdsEye Inspirations range.

‘Brandon’s design uses mouth-watering images of food on the front of pack, inspired by the editorial style of food photography currently seen in food and lifestyle publications. 

Brandon’s work moves away from the rest of the frozen fish category, strengthens the brand and creates an iconic logotype icon reminiscent of restaurant signage to communicate the premium quality of the product’. (Packaging Europe).

Not only does innovatively printed packaging increase brand visibility and allow customers to locate products quickly, if coupled with high quality packaging it increases the in-store retail experience for consumers. 

When a product is presented attractively, coupled with enhanced brand recognition, good display packaging facilitates the product selection, leading to impulsive purchasing.

We work with many marketing consultants to produce new and exciting packaging for manufacturers, get in touch today for a quotation.

Folding cartons can be manufacture with all manner of design features and the printing options offer even further choice, for all budgets:

Digitally printed folding boxes – great for multiple print variations or smaller runs, we can produce exceptional quality from our digital printers and apply gloss or matt finishes.  The shorter lead times for digitally printed boxes also add to this being a very attractive option.

Litho laminated folding boxes – superior quality and clarity for intricate print design, options include gold or silver foiling, embossing or debossing, gloss or matt finishes.  Litho laminated boxes are suited more to higher runs, this keeps the unit costs down which off-set the tooling costs, and you won’t be disappointed with the end result.

All folding carton boxes, whatever the design will be supplied flat which saves on storage.  They can be easily ‘made up’ with a few simple folds of the board.

Variation in Design - Ideas

Depending on the overall design and function of the box, we can offer variations to the design to make your life easier and speed up your processes.  For example, with a self-locking box and lid, we can supply completely unglued for you to fold and lock into place or we can supply these with a glued side wall option, meaning that only two ends need making up and the whole process is much less time consuming.

To find out more or to get a quotation, just get in touch.

Whether you are looking for your printed packaging in corrugated cardboard, folding box board or rigid covered boxes, you will find there is a huge variation of printing techniques available. Not only do you have to find the right material to print on, the volume is also a key factor in finding the right material and printing method for you.

Recent research suggests, one of the biggest challenges buyers face in sourcing packaging is the difficulty in identifying the most effective printing techniques to ask for when looking for a quotation, and this can slow the whole process down.

At Packaging Supplies, we offer printing methods such as flexographic, digital, litho laminating & screen printing, which is not unlike many other packaging suppliers and manufactures.  However, if the correct printing techniques are not used on your packaging it can lead to unnecessary additional costs and quality issues.

How do Packaging Supplies over-come this?

Our well-informed sales team are adept at finding out consumer needs and requirements.  We engage in consultation to enable us to advise packaging buyers on the most suitable printing technique that is available.  Factors that drive which methods we advise, will have taken into consideration things like quantity, budget and the result the buyer is striving to achieve.

Depending on your needs and wishes, we can adapt our services to suit you. We have an external sales team that are well equipped to come to you and meet in person or an internal sales team that can handle your enquiry over email and/or telephone.  We have a large range of portfolio images that we can send you as examples, which can speed up the consultation process on a tight deadline.

As a packaging company, we’ve grown with the needs of our customers over the last 35 years and adjusted to new printed packaging methods when appropriate.

To find out more or to get a quotation on your printed packaging, please get in touch.

Good Luck.

Read on to find out  the benefits you gain from using our services:

1) Greater flexibility: Free up your space, release the pressure and burden on your facilities.  We have the knowledge and the equipment to efficiently handle a wide range of labeling and fulfillment jobs.

2) Experience at meeting customer demand: Regardless of your challenges with packaging, we have a wealth of experience in  meeting specific customer needs and deadlines.    

3) Limiting Costs: Having the ability to select the right packaging processes and materials to match, is the fine line between a “to budget” operation or overspending. 35 years in the packaging industry is a valuable resource that you can tap into.

Get in touch for a quote on your contract packing and fulfillment requirements.

Due to continued business growth, we are now looking for a new member of our team, based in Wallingford, Oxfordshire:

External sales – Field Sales Representative 

As a field sales representative you will be responsible for developing new clients over a set geographical area.  The key part of this role will be winning new business.  Previous experience in packaging would be advantageous but not essential, however a proven sales record is required.

For further information or to apply for either of the above positions, please contact sales@pack-supplies.co.uk

This project was very time sensitive, we had a short time frame in which to design the box and manufacture it and of course we had to make sure the deadline wasn’t exceed so that we could get the boxes delivered ahead of  valentine’s day.

From concept to delivery, this job took under 2 weeks in total.  During this time we carried out a consultation, sampling, colour swatches and artwork changes and of course the finished product delivered.

The final design was a huge red flat folding box board box made to look like a box of chocolates, inside we made dividers to hold in place and display 16 packets of specially named bags of crisps.  Perfect for those of us who are not choc-a-holics!

Due to our flexible approach to bespoke products we were able to select the right type of packaging and printing methods to ensure the deadline was met. 

There are so many options open to you for bespoke packaging, we can help guide you to the right material and methods, all to suit your individual project and budget.

Get in touch for a quotation

All of Packaging Supplies Postal & Mailing boxes fall under the Royal Mail PiP of a Small Parcel, helping you to keep your despatch costs down.  We have a variety of sizes suitable for all kinds of products.  The mailing boxes can be padded out if required with our voidfill or bubble wrap products.

To buy your Postal & Mailing boxes click here 

As well as our Postal & Mailing boxes, we have a variety of other Postal Packaging products available, such as Postal Tubes, Feather post Mailers and Book Wrap Boxes along with a huge range of standard Small & Large Packaging Boxes.

With the festive period in full swing, the time has come where we can no longer make any new custom made or bespoke boxes before Christmas, but we have launched our own range of postal boxes, which are in stock now and ready to go.

If you have been caught out by any increase in demand and you would like some stock boxes with a custom box feel. This is the product line for you.

Our Mailing boxes come in 9 difference sizes in both white and brown, the full list of the sizes are below. With the size range that we have put together,  we hope you will find the perfect size.

90 x 90 x 50mm (3.5" x 3.5" x 2.0")

145 x 100 x 55mm (5.5" x 4.0" x 2.0")

160 x 160 x 70mm (6.5" x 6.5" x 3.0")

200 x 100 x 100mm (8.0" x 4.0" x 4.0")

210 x 130 x 55mm (8.5" x 5.0" x 2.0")

240 x 160 x 90mm (9.5" x 6.5" x 3.5")

240 x 240 x 80mm (9.5" x 9.5" x 3.0")

310 x 234 x 63mm (12.0" x 9.0" x 2.5")

300 x 250 x 100mm (12.0" x 10.0" x 4.0")

Normally these die cut boxes would require a cutting forme start up costs, but Packaging Supplies have invested so you don’t have too.

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 Our range of Beer Boxes and Brewery Packaging should make this easy.

Transit Beer boxes:

Without a doubt the most important and commonly used beer box is the 24-bottle box with dividers. This we carry as a standard pack. This same style of box and dividers can be used for a variety of different size bottle packs. With no extra cost it is something that we can customize for you.

Can the Dividers come Assembled?

Let’s face it, nobody wants to stand there making up dividers all day. There are a lot more important tasks to be performed during your day. We can supply them assembled, so they just pop open and slot into the outer case. Please just let us know your requirements. 

Can I get my logo printed on these boxes?

The large majority of the breweries that we look after have a 1 colour flexo print on their boxes, but we have many print options available which you can find more about here. So the only start up cost is the paying for the printing stereo, which is a first time only fee, if you want it printed. We normally suggest, get your self up and running, adding artwork is very simple.

Presentation beer boxes:

We have covered the transportation aspect of brewery packaging, Now on to the important stuff, the boxes that are going to help sell your product making it desirable.

Die cut boxes are made for this sort of packaging, making the boxes in these styles mean additional features can be added. Like a carry handle or a cut out on the front of the box to show your fancy bottle labels. The feel can be altered depending on your product; it can be brown or white Kraft outer finish with various different printing options depending on your budget and usage.

Get in touch with our packaging team to find out your options.

5 big packaging mistakes that will see failure in the Peak season 

It sounds incredibly sad however the peak season, the lead up to Christmas will be soon upon us. Within this period planning and forecasting is everything. Which is why you need to start now.

1.     Failure to Plan: We think this is a very good place to start, plan exactly what is required for the packaging of each product. Before the busy season starts you should know exactly the average time that it takes to pack each product, once you know this you can experiment with packaging machines or other packing equipment to decide whether this will assist in speeding up this process. This will then give you valued information for the forecasting for the dispatching of orders and lead times of future orders.

See our Packaging Machines here.

2.     Understanding your demand: This goes hand in hand with planning, this is somewhere where even the largest of large companies can come unstuck. Review you figures from the same quarter the previous year with any expectations of growth or reductions this will help to give you an understanding of what will be required.

3.     Innovate where possible: The Packaging Industry is so large, whether you are a manufacturer, importer or have an online presence there will be a requirement for packaging in some form. However, there are very few packaging companies out there that are actually innovating. The biggest reason for this is that it is cheaper to have a one size fit all packaging. Take Korrvu packaging for example, we have standard sizes to fit phones, iPad’s and many other products. We work hard to develop our online range, so you know exactly what is out there, a snapshot into new products.

4.     Be smart and respectful about Packaging: The biggest mistake that is being made at the moment is that packaging is only being considered within companies for just their own benefit i.e. the one size fits all situations. The largest retailer in the world has been guilty of this, Amazon are under more pressure to reduce their packaging size and waste. How can you be respectful to packaging? The respect comes when considering if the packaging is the right size for the product and how easy it is for your customer to discard the packaging. We have all been there trying to stuff empty pizza boxes into bins, it isn’t enjoyable.

5.     Be prepared for all Outcomes: This is where Packaging Supplies comes into its own. You need to see our warehouse as an extension of your own. Stock and call off is so essential at this point once we have it in stock, we can dispatch it to you on a next day delivery basis (on orders received before 3pm). It gets even easier with your own customer log in, giving you instant stock checks and an online ordering platform through the back office of our website.

These 5 mistakes are just the beginning, with over 35 years in business in this industry we can help to save you time and money. So please feel free to catch up with one of our friendly team today on 01491834000.