Samples & Specifications
Part of Packaging and labelling specifications
Specifying packaging for transport and retail use
Separate customer-facing presentation from transport protection, then check a filled pack against the intended handling route.
Specify the retail pack and transport pack separately for the product and its variants. Name each layer’s material, format, quantity, identifier and checks. One pack can serve both purposes if that choice is explicit and the filled pack is assessed.
Start with the required arrival condition
State whether goods should arrive as sale-ready retail units, unmarked display boxes or bulk items to pack after receipt. Identify the expected route, such as cartons delivered to a warehouse or individual parcels sent to customers. Ask the receiving team what it must count or identify without opening every unit.
If a printed retail box must arrive without scuffs, specify an outer layer or another protection method. Use cushioning or filler where the item could move inside the parcel. A “fragile” sticker does not replace suitable packing.
Give the supplier two briefs
| Retail-use brief | Transport-use brief |
|---|---|
| Product and variant identification, displayed contents, opening method and customer instructions. | Units per carton, allowed variant mix, dividers or cushioning, closure and handling orientation where needed. |
| Artwork version, visible claims and barcode placement if used. | External dimensions, gross weight, carton marks and a way to reconcile contents. |
| Condition required at receipt and on display. | Handling or loading information requested by the actual carrier or warehouse. |
These are design questions, not a universal packaging standard. Have the supplier state proposed materials and assembly.
Name the selected material and format for each layer. Examples include cardboard, corrugated boxes, SBS (solid bleached sulphate) paperboard, kraft paper, kraft mailers, rigid boxes and plastic bags; bubble wrap is a named cushioning option. A corrugated box has an inner layer, a corrugated layer and an outer layer.
For the retail brief, state the product or variant, units per retail pack, material and format, and customer-facing identifier. For the transport brief, state units per inner pack and shipping carton, whether mixed variants are allowed, the outer material and format, cushioning and the identifier used for receiving.
An illustrative arrangement is one item per cardboard retail box, six boxes per inner pack and four inner packs per corrugated shipping carton. This is an example, not a recommended quantity.
Check a filled example
Request an example with the specified products, inserts and cushioning. Check that retail packs fit without crushing, the carton closes, contents stay in place and identifiers can be read. Record the condition after any handling check you arrange; a visual review is not a transport test.
Where GS1 barcodes are used, state the number assigned to each trade-item level and inspect the final print on the chosen material. Glossy or transparent surfaces, obstructions and inadequate clear space can make scanning unreliable.
The ACCC explains that mandatory standards apply to certain products and can cover packaging or labelling. Suppliers must not supply products that fail a relevant mandatory standard under the Australian Consumer Law, so check whether a standard applies to the product.
Check voluntary claims against the goods being supplied. The ACCC can require businesses to back up claims they make about products or services.
Record separate approvals for the customer-facing pack and its protective shipping arrangement, naming the versions and any checks still open. Revisit the shipping arrangement if a retail-pack change alters its fit.
