Ask most UK takeaway owners why their packaging is plain and you get the same answer: printed costs more. Sometimes double. This guide breaks down what printed packaging actually costs in 2026, why the price gap exists, and how high-volume supply models have closed it.
Why printed packaging has traditionally cost more
The price difference has never really been about ink. It comes from three places:
- Setup costs. Every print run needs plates or digital setup, artwork checks and a press slot. On a 1,000-unit order those fixed costs are spread across very few boxes, so each box carries a big share of them.
- Minimum order quantities. Printers want long runs because that is where their machines are efficient. Short runs are expensive per unit, so minimums of 5,000–10,000 units are common.
- Middlemen. Many “printed packaging” websites are resellers. Each layer adds margin before the product reaches your counter.
What plain packaging costs at the cash & carry
For reference, typical plain prices UK operators pay at wholesalers in 2026 are roughly 3–6p for a standard burger box, 4–8p for a single wall paper cup and 3–7p for a twisted handle paper bag, depending on size, board grade and region. If you run a busy shop, you know your own numbers to the decimal — they are on your weekly invoice.
The maths that changes everything: batch printing
Here is the part most owners have not seen. When a printer runs 10,000 units in a single batch, the setup cost per unit collapses to a fraction of a penny and the run hits the press at maximum efficiency. At that scale, the production cost of a printed box approaches the wholesale cost of a plain one.
The catch was always the same: who can take delivery of 10,000 boxes at once? A small takeaway using 300–400 a week has nowhere to put them and no desire to pay for six months of stock upfront.
How weekly-plan supply removes the catch
That is exactly the problem weekly supply plans solve. The model works like this: the full batch is printed in one efficient run, the supplier stores it, and you take a weekly delivery of whatever quantity you actually use — paying only for what you take. The one commitment is finishing the batch within a set window (ours is 6 months, and the batch is sized to your weekly usage so the window always fits).
Because the print run is efficient and the relationship is long-term, the unit price can match what you pay for plain stock. At MyPacking we put that in writing: send us your current plain packaging invoice and if the product qualifies, we match your plain unit price and print your brand on it.
So what should you actually budget?
If you use 150+ units a week of any core item — burger boxes, cups, bags, greaseproof paper — budget the same as you spend now. Same weekly outgoing, same quantities, with your logo on everything: the batch is simply sized to your usage. If your volume is much lower, or the product is unusual, a conventional short print run may still carry a premium; ask for a like-for-like quote before assuming either way.
Questions worth asking any supplier
- Is the quoted unit price ex. VAT and like-for-like with what you buy now (same size, board, coating)?
- Are artwork and setup included, or billed separately?
- Who pays for storage between deliveries?
- What happens if you need to stop early — is there a penalty, or do you just pay for remaining stock?
Get those four answers in writing and you can compare any two offers honestly. You can see how our own plan answers them on the how it works page.