Buying Food Packaging Online: Read a Product Page

Buying food packaging online works when you read each product page for five things before you add to cart: what the item actually is, how many come in the carton, the price per item, the size or capacity, and the material. At Packery every product is sold by the carton, and each product page shows the carton price and the price per item, so you can compare items without holding a sample.

Key takeaways

• Compare the carton price and the price per item together, and check the carton quantity, because cartons range from a few hundred units to several thousand.
• Cups and bowls are listed in oz; boxes, bags and paper in millimetres.
• Material tells you what the item is made from: sugarcane, PLA-coated paper, aqueous-coated paper, corrugated, kraft paper or wood.
• Lids and sleeves are matched by size, so note the oz or mm figure and ask us before ordering if you are unsure.
• If anything on a page is unclear, send a question through our contact page before you pay.

What should I check first on a food packaging product page?

Start with the product name, then the carton quantity in brackets at the end of it. The name tells you the item type, size and material, and the bracket tells you how many units you are buying.

Take the 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell (Carton of 200). The name says it is a clamshell, made from sugarcane, unbleached, and sold in a carton of 200. The size line then gives the measurements as 229x152x75mm.

How do carton price and price per item work together?

The carton price is what you pay; the price per item is the carton price spread across every unit in it. Use the per-item figure to compare products, and the carton price to plan your order.

• The Kraft Bag – 2WB Flat (Carton of 500) is $9.05 per carton, or $0.02 each.
• The 140mm Wooden Cutlery – Coffee Stirrer (Carton of 10000) is $35.36 per carton, or $0.004 each.
• The PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200) is $116.64 per carton, or $0.58 each.

A low carton price can simply mean a smaller carton, so check both numbers.

How do I read sizes in oz and millimetres?

Cups, bowls and small serving containers are listed by capacity in oz; boxes, bags, napkins and food paper are listed by their measurements in millimetres. Match the unit to the job: oz tells you how much the item holds, mm tells you whether it fits the food and your shelf.

The 2oz Sugarcane Serving Container – Cup Unbleached (Carton of 2000) is listed by capacity, which suits sauces and dressings on the side. The Corrugated Takeaway Container – Brown Snack Box Large Plain (Carton of 200) is listed as 205x106x76mm, so you can check it against the portion you serve. For more on choosing by portion size, see our guide to small takeaway containers.

What do the material names actually mean?

The material line describes what the item is made from. These are the materials across our range:

• Sugarcane: moulded from sugarcane fibre, as in the clamshell and the 2oz serving cup above.
• Paper + PLA Coated: paper with a PLA lining, as in the 8oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 1000) and the 12oz kraft cups.
• Paper + Aqueous Coated: paper with a water-based coating, as in the 8oz double wall cups.
• Bamboo Fibre + PLA Coated: the 4oz bowl uses this combination.
• Corrugated: fluted board, used for the brown snack box.
• Paper, Recycled Paper and Wood: napkins, bags, cutlery pouches and stirrers.

Our guide to buying takeaway containers in bulk covers how material choice fits into a larger order.

Which lid or sleeve goes with which item?

Match lids and sleeves to the cup or container by size: capacity in oz, and the rim measurement where one is given. If a product page does not name a matching lid, ask us before you order rather than guessing.

The 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000) includes 90mm in its name, which is the figure to quote when you ask which lid fits. SW means single wall. The 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print (Carton of 500) is a double wall cup, which has a second paper layer built in. For a single wall cup, ask us whether a sleeve suits your drinks.

Which one should I buy?

Choose by what you serve and how it leaves the counter:

• Cafés serving smaller coffees: the 8oz Aqueous Coated Coffee Cups – Double Wall Art Print (Carton of 500), with the 140mm Wooden Cutlery – Coffee Stirrer (Carton of 10000).
• Cafés wanting a larger takeaway coffee they can brand: the 12oz Kraft Coffee Cups – Lined SW Print 90mm (Carton of 1000), which is available with custom printing.
• Noodle bars and Asian takeaway: the 8oz PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Noodle Box (Carton of 1000).
• Burger and hot-food shops: the 9x6x3 Sugarcane Takeaway Container – Unbleached Clamshell (Carton of 200).
• Caterers packing full meals: the PLA Takeaway Container – Coated Lunch Box Extra Large (Carton of 200).
• Sauces and dips on the side: the 2oz Sugarcane Serving Container – Cup Unbleached (Carton of 2000).
• Carrying the order out: the Kraft Bag – 2WB Flat (Carton of 500) for single items, or the Kraft Bag – Brown Twisted Handle Takeaway Medium (Carton of 250) for multi-item orders.

To compare more box and bowl options side by side, browse all takeaway containers.

How do I ask a question before ordering?

Use our contact page and include the full product name, the size and what you plan to put in it. We can then confirm lid fit, portion size or print options. Custom printing with your logo is available on selected products, and you can see the details on custom print.

Ordering, delivery and returns

There is no minimum order. Delivery is a flat fee set by your postcode, and free once an order passes a set amount; checkout shows the exact cost, and today's rates are on the shipping page. Delivery takes 3–5 business days to capital cities and 4–6 business days regional. All orders are prepaid online. Damaged or faulty items are replaced or refunded free; unopened stock cartons can be returned within 7 days of delivery (10% restocking fee, return delivery at your cost). When you know what you need, use quick order to add items by the carton.

Setting up or restocking your packaging?

Send us your list for a trade quote, or price it yourself in the cost calculator.

No minimum order · free delivery over $750 (metro) / $1000 (regional) · damaged items replaced free · Delivery details