Australian Café Packaging Price Index — August 2026
The Australian Café Packaging Price Index is a monthly report that tracks the prices of various café packaging products. This index is designed to provide hospitality operators with a clear understanding of the current market prices for the packaging products they use every day. By monitoring these prices, café owners and managers can make informed decisions about their supply chain and budgeting.
Per-unit café packaging prices are a crucial factor for hospitality operators, as they can have a significant impact on the overall cost of running a café. With tight profit margins, even small changes in packaging prices can affect a café's bottom line. By staying up-to-date with the latest pricing trends, café owners can negotiate better deals with suppliers, optimize their inventory, and maintain a competitive edge in the market.
What the numbers show
The latest data shows that the median price per unit for Coffee Cups & Lids is $0.16, while Takeaway Boxes & Containers have a median price of $0.30. Cold Cups & Lids are priced at a median of $0.06 per unit, and Bags have a median price of $0.05. Other products, such as Burger Boxes & Clamshells and Pizza Boxes, have median prices of $0.32 and $0.53 per unit, respectively. The median price per unit for Napkins is $0.02, and for Straws it is $0.03.
The data also reveals that Plates & Trays have the highest median price per unit at $0.65, followed by Pizza Boxes at $0.53. In contrast, products like Food Paper, Bags, and Cutlery & Serving have lower median prices, ranging from $0.05 per unit. The median prices for other products, such as Chip Cups & Trays, Portion Cups & Lids, and Sushi & Trays, are $0.13, $0.09, and $0.19 per unit, respectively. Cleaning & Hygiene products have a median price of $0.21 per unit, while Bowls & Lids and Fresh Produce Packaging have median prices of $0.21 and $0.17 per unit, respectively.
Price by category
- Coffee Cups & Lids — Packery median $0.16/unit · catalogue range $0.04–$0.31 across 73 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Takeaway Boxes & Containers — Packery median $0.30/unit · catalogue range $0.06–$3.22 across 65 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Cold Cups & Lids — Packery median $0.06/unit · catalogue range $0.03–$0.28 across 38 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Bags — Packery median $0.05/unit · catalogue range $0.01–$1.20 across 71 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Burger Boxes & Clamshells — Packery median $0.32/unit · catalogue range $0.09–$0.76 across 51 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Bowls & Lids — Packery median $0.21/unit · catalogue range $0.01–$0.78 across 82 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Napkins — Packery median $0.02/unit · catalogue range $0.01–$0.09 across 21 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Chip Cups & Trays — Packery median $0.13/unit · catalogue range $0.03–$0.46 across 32 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Portion Cups & Lids — Packery median $0.09/unit · catalogue range $0.09–$0.39 across 4 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Food Paper — Packery median $0.05/unit · catalogue range $0.01–$0.14 across 24 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Cutlery & Serving — Packery median $0.05/unit · catalogue range $0.00–$0.34 across 66 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Cleaning & Hygiene — Packery median $0.21/unit · catalogue range $0.18–$1.68 across 10 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Pizza Boxes — Packery median $0.53/unit · catalogue range $0.31–$0.86 across 18 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Sushi & Trays — Packery median $0.19/unit · catalogue range $0.09–$0.46 across 35 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Fresh Produce Packaging — Packery median $0.17/unit · catalogue range $0.07–$0.31 across 9 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Plates & Trays — Packery median $0.65/unit · catalogue range $0.07–$1.83 across 68 products · *no live competitor data this period*
- Straws — Packery median $0.03/unit · catalogue range $0.02–$0.15 across 30 products · *no live competitor data this period*
What changed since our last index
- Coffee Cups & Lids — up $0.01/unit (was $0.15, now $0.16)
- Takeaway Boxes & Containers — up $0.02/unit (was $0.28, now $0.30)
- Burger Boxes & Clamshells — up $0.02/unit (was $0.29, now $0.32)
- Bowls & Lids — up $0.01/unit (was $0.20, now $0.21)
- Chip Cups & Trays — up $0.01/unit (was $0.11, now $0.13)
- Portion Cups & Lids — up $0.01/unit (was $0.08, now $0.09)
- Cutlery & Serving — up $0.01/unit (was $0.04, now $0.05)
- Cleaning & Hygiene — up $0.01/unit (was $0.19, now $0.21)
- Sushi & Trays — up $0.02/unit (was $0.17, now $0.19)
- Fresh Produce Packaging — up $0.01/unit (was $0.16, now $0.17)
- Plates & Trays — up $0.04/unit (was $0.60, now $0.65)
Methodology
Figures are median per-unit prices (wholesale trade pricing). Packery medians are computed across our full 697-product catalogue. No live competitor prices met the confidence threshold this period, so categories are shown as catalogue benchmarks. No prices, statistics or supplier names are estimated or invented.
Browse every line at current trade prices at packery.com.au/shop.
Related guides
Ready to order in bulk?
Shop All Products →
