Food packaging
Custom food packaging for bakeries, confectioners and takeaways
Printed bakery boxes, confectionery boxes, takeaway cartons, pizza boxes and food gift packaging for UK food businesses. We start with how the food meets the box: unwrapped or sealed, hot or ambient, greasy or dry. Then we specify the board, coating, window and insert to suit, printed CMYK or Pantone on white board, kraft or corrugated. Orders start from 50 boxes.
Overview
Specified around how the food meets the box
Every food packaging brief starts with one question: does the board touch the food directly, or does it hold something already wrapped, bagged or bottled? A cake sitting on a printed base, a bar of chocolate in a flow-wrap and a portion of noodles in a takeaway carton are three different jobs, and the board, coating and construction change with each.
Direct-contact packaging, where unwrapped food sits on the board, needs a board and barrier coating chosen for that use. Secondary packaging holds a product that is already sealed, so the outer carton is a print and protection job and the full range of boards and finishes is open to you. Telling us which applies is the most useful thing you can do at enquiry stage.
After contact comes condition: served hot, chilled or ambient, and how much fat, moisture or steam the box has to cope with. Then handling: packed in advance on a bench, or assembled by staff in the middle of a busy service. Each answer changes the construction we recommend, which is why we ask before we quote.
Challenges
What goes wrong with food packaging, and how we specify against it
Grease marking the board
Butter-rich bakes, fried food and oily sauces soak into plain uncoated board and leave dark patches through the print. Where fatty food sits directly on the board, we specify a grease-resistant coated board or a liner, and confirm the material on your quotation.
Steam and condensation
Hot food gives off steam that softens thin cartons and turns crisp food soggy, while chilled products can pick up condensation in transit. Takeaway and pizza packaging is vented or made from corrugated board, and coated boards hold print better where moisture is expected.
Delicate items sliding and breaking
Macarons, cupcakes and filled chocolates are damaged by movement more than by weight. A platform, divider or fitted tray holds each item in a fixed position, and we work back from the item size and count per box to the internal dimensions.
Slow assembly during service
A box that takes three folds and a strip of tape costs time on a busy counter. For food service we recommend constructions that set up from flat in one or two movements, such as crash lock bases and pre-folded takeaway cartons, and ask whether staff assemble boxes during service.
Weak bases on heavier orders
A celebration cake or a box of a dozen doughnuts is heavier than it looks and is carried by one hand under the base. We size the board to the loaded weight and use corrugated or a heavier carton board where a thin carton would bow.
Recommended packaging
Recommended packaging for food businesses
Product
Printed folding cartons
The standard bakery and confectionery box in white board or kraft, printed to your brand and delivered flat to save space in a small kitchen.
See the packagingBox style
Window boxes
A die-cut window with a clear film patch lets customers see cakes, biscuits and chocolates without opening the box.
See the packagingBox style
Crash lock bottom boxes
Pops open with a locked base in one movement, which suits counter service and heavier bakes.
See the packagingBox style
Gable and handle boxes
A carry handle built into the carton for cakes, pastries, food-to-go and picnic packs, with no separate bag needed.
See the packagingProduct
Printed corrugated boxes
Fluted board for pizza boxes, catering trays and multi-item orders where stacking strength and steam tolerance matter.
See the packagingBox style
Lid and base boxes
A rigid two-piece box with a fitted tray for chocolate selections, luxury biscuits and food gifts that are kept after opening.
See the packagingProduct
Custom box inserts
Card platforms, dividers and cavity trays that hold macarons, cupcakes and chocolates in position.
See the packagingBox style
Sleeve boxes
A printed sleeve over a tray for chocolate bars, macaron gift packs and seasonal editions of an existing box.
See the packaging
Materials
Board and materials for food packaging
Board choice starts with whether the food touches it. The figures below are typical ranges that vary by grade and mill; board and any barrier coating are confirmed on your quotation for your application.
| Specification | Typical range | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Folding boxboard (FBB) and SBS | 300–450 GSM | Smooth white board for bakery, confectionery and retail food cartons where print quality matters. |
| Kraft board | 300–400 GSM | Unbleached brown board with a natural look, widely used for takeaway, deli and artisan food packaging. Prints well in one or two colours. |
| Grease-resistant coated board | — | Board with a barrier coating or liner for oily, buttery or saucy food that sits directly on the surface. |
| Corrugated board | E or B flute | Fluted board for pizza boxes, catering boxes and heavier orders. E flute is about 1.5 mm thick, B flute about 3 mm. |
| Greyboard (chipboard) | 1.5–2 mm | Wrapped rigid board for premium chocolate, luxury biscuit and hamper gift boxes that are kept after use. |
Finishes
Finishes that suit the sector
Matt and gloss lamination
Protects print on secondary packaging and premium confectionery boxes, where the finish does not touch the food.
Uncoated kraft
Many takeaway and artisan brands leave kraft unlaminated for a natural look and print one or two spot colours.
Window patching
A clear film patch behind a die-cut window, common on bakery, biscuit and chocolate boxes.
Foil blocking (hot foil stamping)
Gold or copper foil on the logo for chocolate, patisserie and seasonal gift ranges.
Embossing and debossing
A raised logo on the lid of a chocolate or biscuit box, adding detail without extra ink.
Bakery boxes: cakes, cupcakes, muffins and biscuits
Bakery packaging is mostly about presentation and holding soft items still. Cupcake and muffin boxes use a printed carton with a window and a die-cut platform so each cake stays upright. Biscuit boxes are usually a tuck end or lid and base carton, often with a window. Celebration cake boxes need enough height for decoration and a base strong enough to lift one-handed.
Chocolate and confectionery boxes
Chocolate packaging ranges from a printed sleeve or carton around a wrapped bar to a rigid lid and base box with a fitted tray for a selection. Filled chocolates and truffles need a cavity tray so they do not touch each other. Foil blocking, embossing and soft colours carry most confectionery brands, and a window works well where the product is the selling point.
Macaron boxes
Macaron boxes are specified by the number of shells per row and the number of rows, which sets the internal dimensions and the insert together. A slim window carton with a card insert suits six or twelve; a drawer or sleeve over a tray works for gift presentation. Tell us the shell diameter and count and we will work back to the box.
Takeaway and noodle boxes
Chinese-style takeaway boxes are die-cut from a single sheet and folded so the base locks without glue, which is what helps them hold saucy dishes. A coated or grease-resistant board is normally specified for hot, wet food served straight into the box. Handles are optional: handle-free boxes stack better in a delivery bag, and handled boxes present better for carry-out.
Pizza boxes
Pizza boxes are made from corrugated board, usually E or B flute, which insulates better than a thin carton and copes with steam. Vent holes let moisture escape so the base stays crisper, and a grease-resistant liner can be added where oil marking is a concern. Most pizza boxes print economically in one or two colours on kraft or white-lined board.
Popcorn and snack boxes
Popcorn boxes are tapered or straight-sided die-cut cartons that set up quickly from flat, for cinemas, events, fairs and snack brands. Buttered or coated popcorn needs a grease-resistant board; plain or sealed snacks do not. Bold, simple print reads best at a distance, and the carton can be sized to your portion so there is less waste.
Regulatory context
Food contact: what to raise at specification stage
This is general information, not legal or compliance advice. Reviewed 11 September 2026.
This is general information, not legal or compliance advice. In the UK, materials intended to come into contact with food are covered by food contact materials legislation, and both the businesses that make packaging materials and the food businesses that use them have responsibilities for making sure the packaging is suitable for the food and the way it is used.
In practice that means telling us, before anything is quoted, whether the board will touch unwrapped food, what the food is (dry, fatty, moist or acidic), and whether it is served hot, chilled or ambient. Barrier coatings and liners for direct food contact are specified with the board supplier for that application, and the material specification is confirmed on your quotation.
If you need supporting documentation for a board or coating, such as a supplier declaration for the material, ask at specification stage so we can confirm what is available. Food labelling content, including ingredients and allergen information, remains the responsibility of the food business; we print the artwork you approve.
Food and drink questions
Questions buyers ask
Anything not covered here, put it in the notes on your quote and we will answer it directly.
Ask on your quoteCan you make boxes that are in direct contact with food?
Yes. Tell us the food, how it is packed and the serving temperature, and we will specify a board and coating for that application and confirm the material specification on your quotation.
Which board is best for greasy or hot food?
A grease-resistant coated board or a lined carton for fatty food that sits directly on the board, and corrugated board for hot food that produces steam. Plain uncoated carton board will mark with oily or warm products.
Can food boxes have a window?
Yes. A window is die-cut into the carton and backed with a clear film patch. It is common on bakery, biscuit and confectionery boxes, and adds a step to production, so we specify it where it helps the product sell.
Do you make inserts for cupcakes, macarons and chocolates?
Yes. Card platforms, dividers and cavity trays hold individual items in position. Give us the item dimensions and the count per box and we will propose the insert with your quotation.
Can you print on kraft food packaging?
Yes. Kraft takes one- and two-colour print well and is widely used for takeaway, deli and artisan packaging. Full-colour photographic artwork reproduces more accurately on white board.
Can my staff assemble the boxes quickly during service?
Tell us how and when the boxes are assembled. For counter and takeaway use we recommend constructions that open in one or two movements, such as crash lock bases and pre-folded takeaway cartons.
Can I order different sizes for small, medium and large portions?
Yes. Most food businesses run two or three sizes. Each size has its own cutter guide, and the sizes are quoted together with one print specification so the range matches.
What is the minimum order for food packaging?
Orders start from 50 boxes. Tell us the quantity for each size you need and we will confirm the options on your quotation.
How long does a food packaging order take?
It depends on the style, board, coating, print and quantity. Tell us your required delivery date and our team will confirm whether the timing is achievable. Delivery is included on every order, and your quotation confirms the delivery address and timing.
Ready to specify your packaging?
Our team replies during business hours, 10:00–18:00 UK time.