Here are five practical ways to get more from your packaging budget.

1. Order Pallet Quantities Instead of Smaller Runs

One of the quickest wins available to most food producers is simply ordering more at once. Unit costs for packaging drop significantly when you move from smaller quantities to full pallet orders – often enough to offset the upfront outlay many times over.

Beyond the per-unit saving, ordering at pallet scale also reduces delivery frequency, cutting transport costs and the time spent managing repeat orders. For products you use consistently, forecasting your volumes and committing to pallet quantities is one of the most straightforward cost reductions available.

At SystemPAK, pallet ordering is available across our tamper-evident container and top-seal tray ranges, with next-day delivery and UK-stocked lines meaning you don’t have to sacrifice availability to access better pricing.

2. Choose Standard Stock Options Over Custom Specifications

Bespoke packaging has its place, but for many food producers, standard stock options deliver everything they need at a fraction of the cost. Custom moulds, non-standard sizes, and specialist materials all add to unit cost, tooling investment, and lead times.

Before specifying something bespoke, it’s worth asking whether a standard size and specification would do the job just as well. In most cases, the answer is yes. SystemPAK stocks an extensive range of food-specific containers in polypropylene (PP) and CPET across a wide variety of capacities and formats – round, rectangular, and square – meaning there’s usually a stock option that fits the application without the premium attached to custom work.

If you’re currently using a custom specification and haven’t reviewed it recently, it may be worth requesting samples of equivalent stock options to compare.

3. Match Trays and Films Correctly from the Start

Mismatched trays and lidding films are a surprisingly common – and costly – problem. Using a film that isn’t optimised for your tray material or sealing equipment can result in poor seal integrity, excessive film waste, increased rejection rates, and additional downtime for adjustments on the line.

Getting the combination right from the outset pays dividends. Different tray materials – PP, CPET, rPET – require different film types, and peelable versus weld-seal films have different performance characteristics depending on the application. If you’d like to understand the differences in more detail, our guide to weld seal vs peelable seal lidding films covers the key considerations. Making the right choice upfront avoids costly trial-and-error further down the line.

SystemPAK supplies lidding films matched to the trays in our range, including both peelable and weld-seal options. If you’re uncertain which combination is right for your product, our team can advise before you commit to stock.

4. Reduce Waste Through Improved Sealing Processes

Packaging waste on the production line – whether from poor seals, misaligned lids, or equipment set-up issues – represents real cost. Every rejected tray is not just the cost of the packaging itself, but the food inside it, the labour involved, and the time lost.

Improving sealing consistency doesn’t always require significant capital investment. Regular calibration of sealing equipment, ensuring correct dwell time and temperature settings for the tray-film combination in use, and training staff on correct loading and alignment can all make a measurable difference to reject rates.

For producers scaling up from manual to semi-automatic or automatic sealing, the reduction in seal variability alone often justifies the investment. SystemPAK offers a range of heat sealing machines – from manual profile-cut models to semi-automatic and fully automatic MAP machines – to suit different production volumes and budgets.

5. Regularly Review Your Packaging Specifications

Packaging specifications are often set at launch and rarely revisited – even as products, production lines, and supplier options change. A container size that was right three years ago may no longer be optimal. A material choice made when alternatives weren’t available may now have a more cost-effective equivalent.

Building a regular review of packaging specifications into your procurement process – even annually – can surface savings that would otherwise go unnoticed. Key questions to ask include: Is this the smallest container that meets our fill weight? Are we using the most cost-effective material for this application? Has our supplier’s range expanded to include better-matched stock options?

SystemPAK works with food producers across the UK to review current specifications and identify opportunities to reduce cost without compromising on quality or compliance. If you haven’t reviewed your packaging in the last 12 months, it’s worth a conversation. You can also browse our full top-seal range to see what’s currently available.

Ready to Reduce Your Packaging Costs?

SystemPAK is a UK-based food packaging distributor supplying tamper-evident containers, top-seal trays, lidding films, and sealing equipment to food producers, delis, farm shops, and caterers across the UK. With next-day delivery on stocked lines, free samples, and expert product advice, we make it straightforward to find the right packaging at the right price.

Browse the full range here or contact our team to discuss your requirements.

FAQs: Reducing Food Packaging Costs

Does ordering pallet quantities really make a significant difference to cost?

Yes. The unit price difference between small-quantity and pallet-quantity orders can be substantial – often 15–30% or more depending on the product. For high-volume lines, this saving compounds quickly. Combined with reduced delivery frequency, pallet ordering is one of the most effective ways to reduce packaging spend.

How do I know if my current tray and film combination is right?

If you’re experiencing inconsistent seals, higher-than-expected rejection rates, or going through film faster than expected, these are signs the combination may not be optimised. Our guide to lidding film types is a good starting point, and our team can help you review your current set-up and recommend adjustments.

Is standard packaging less professional than bespoke options?

Not necessarily. Standard stock containers from quality suppliers meet the same food-safety standards as bespoke options, and many producers achieve excellent shelf presence using standard containers with printed cardboard sleeves, self-adhesive labels, or In Mould Labelling (IML). Branding and customisation don’t have to mean custom packaging.

How often should I review my packaging specifications?

An annual review is a reasonable minimum for most producers. If your production volumes have changed significantly, if you’ve introduced new product lines, or if you haven’t changed supplier in several years, it’s worth a more immediate review. The packaging market evolves – new materials, new formats, and new pricing – and staying current can yield meaningful savings.

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