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Why Are Cardboard Boxes So Expensive?

14 Jun 2024, By Adam

Why Are Cardboard Boxes So Expensive?

Cardboard Boxes are used widely. Using cardboard material is common for shipping, storing, and even crafting stylish boxes. Yet, you must notice that cardboard box costs are increasing daily. If you are looking for why are cardboard boxes so expensive? You reach at right place. The basic reasons for its rising cost are supply chain disruption, increased demand, and shortage of material.

Even though the pricing is up for cardboard it ,is the most reliable packaging material. Due to its flexible nature and recycling potential, cardboard is on top. The retail brands prefer cardboard boxes and ensure the environmentally friendly packaging for everyone. Let’s break down each reason of high pricing and discuss how you can save money despite the challenges.

Why the Cardboard Packaging Boxes Has High Prices?

No doubt the Cardboard Prices have increased surely due to certain reasons. This rise has disturbed the manufacturer, distributor, and all retailers. The pandemic has immensely disturbed the raw material supply. It has affected the supply chain globally and the prices of cardboard boxes.

As you know, COVID-19 has locked the whole world. You see the rise in online shopping that gives benefits to e-commerce businesses. They use the cardboard packaging boxes or cartons to deliver their goods to customers. This factor gives rise to the price of cardboard boxes and creates high demand. Moreover, the other reasons of its high prices are mentioned below.

  • Supply Chain Disruptions

The process of making cardboard boxes involves many steps. If any disturbance occurs in this process, it can delay its supply. The supply chain of any product demands the smooth process to avoid any kind of disruption. There could be any reason of supply chain disruption for the cardboard box that effect entire process.

If there is a delay to get the raw material on time it will require more time to make the boxes. This delay can occur due to many natural disasters, like flood, world pandemic, etc. When such disruptions occur, delivering the material on time becomes difficult. Also, it makes hard and more expensive to get cardboard packaging.

  • Shortage of Raw Material

Cardboard material is made of the pure wood pulp that comes from trees. The process of making cardboard boxes involves many steps. Each steps have its difficulties and challenges. If we start from raw material, you may see the shortage of it. Various factors like deforestation, high cost, or other reasons impact the supply of raw materials. So, when there is a situation like this, cardboard production will bring heavy cost. This factor makes the expense of packaging double ever than that.

  • Increasing Demand

Another reason of the increased cost of cardboard boxes is its high demand. When the market demands more cardboard packaging boxes, it results in high prices. Now the brands have started to give importance to eco-friendly packaging. Customer also notice the material of packaging to save the world from pollution. Thus, the demand for cardboard increases and is highly important in retail business. The retailers focus on the paper recycling to avoid any harmful environmental impact.

Cardboard has eco-friendly nature and you can re-usethem after first time. The benefit of recycling pushes the demand high for cardboard boxes. Customers want to get them to ensure their loyalty for environment safety. Hence, they want to pack their goods in recyclable material packaging box. So, the high demand of boxes leads to the high prices.  

  • Higher Transportation Costs

The transport cost of the cardboard boxes from manufacturer to store also includes. The high prices of fuel from all over the world change its pricing. It can be so high if there is a rise in the fuel prices. Moreover, these prices are charged to customers, making cardboard boxes more expensive.

  • Production And Manufacturing Cost

Brands must consider the all aspects of cardboard production and manufacturing. So that, in the end, they don’t feel the high expenses for production. The cost of cardboard boxes for packaging can be controlled with certain steps. The cardboard material requires the proper cutting and designing. The packaging and labelling of cardboard material may result in higher prices. So before starting the process, you must consider these aspects to control prices.

How To Cut the Cost of Cardboard Boxes for Packaging? Tips And Tricks

Despite the rising prices of cardboard boxes, you still have hope to deal with this problem. Explore the many ways to save money on cardboard boxes.

  • Minimalistic Design Approach

The customization of cardboard boxes allows you to design the boxes in unique ways. Sometimes the design and labelling make the cardboard packaging expensive for brands. You can select the minimalistic designs to remain within budget for your brand. Further this approach also helps you to set an individual look of your branded products. However, the luxurious addition to cardboard packaging can bring high cost.

  • Reuse And Recycle the Packaging

When you have the chance to reuse your packaging boxes, why do you waste them? Brands must acknowledge their customers to the recycling of the cardboard boxes. Moreover, the large cartons are used to deliver the products. With recyclable material you can prefer them to deliver the products. This also can save you from packaging waste.

  • Select Biodegradable Material

Prefer the use of biodegradable material like Corn starch or Foam peanut. These are the more environmentally friendly and cost-saving options for your products.  

  • Buy in Bulk

The bulk purchase of the custom packaging boxes can save the money. You can order the cardboard boxes in bulk to get lowest prices. Most of the brands give the discount offers for the bulk sale. So get the benefit of such offers and remain within your budget.

  • Shift to Alternative Packaging

There are various other packaging options than cardboard packaging. They have less cost and still meets your all packaging needs. You can choose the Folding cartons, Bubble wrap, or Polystyrene to save your cost. They may be cheaper than the cardboard packaging box.

Conclusion

The rising cost of the cardboard boxes is due to various reasons. The major reasons are high demand, disruption in the supply chain, exclusive customization, and production cost. However, you can control the prices of cardboard boxes with recycling, alternative packaging and minimal designs. Further, we have all kinds of solutions for your packaging needs at Urgent Boxes. You can take suggestions from our experts by contacting us.

 

FAQS

Q: Why is cardboard so expensive now?

Certain factors like higher demand, production cost, shortage of raw material, and any disruption in the supply chain affect the prices of cardboard boxes.

Q: Why do boxes cost so much?

Boxes cost is linked with factors like design, cutting and customization. You can control it by putting effort in these sections.

Q: Is there a cardboard box shortage?

Yes, there is a shortage of cardboard boxes due to the rise of online shopping and a shortage of raw wood       pulps.

Q: Why is packaging so expensive?

Custom Packaging is becoming so expensive due to the environmental regulations and transportational costs.

Q: What will replace cardboard?

Several alternatives are explored to replace cardboard. They are also cost-effective and recyclable. You can choose the biodegradable material, corrugated, reuseable fabric bags. kraft bags etc.

Q: Is used cardboard worth money?

Yes, the used cardboard can give you back money. You can reuse it for other purposes.


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