In every industry sector cardboard is used in many different applications from packaging used for the transport of goods between countries to sale as a commodity itself to consumer direct. We sell removals boxes and packing materials so we have been keeping a watchful eye on the cost of producing cardboard.

Cardboard is a vital commodity given the changes in peoples buying habits. Principally online or mail order sales that result in the use of more packaging. Both around the product and then again around the packaging its self in a transport box! This is also further exacerbated by the fact that the online community is now also global. So savvy consumers are looking further and further afield to fulfil their needs.

And so the cost of cardboard is going up. Something that will affect us all.

Another contributing factor is the decline in UK manufacturing, with large paper processing plants having closed in particular in the South of England. A plant that was a major manufacturer of removals boxes, has meant that due to this demand since 2008 the prices of cardboard has increased. An increase, that is squeezing manufacturers profit margins everywhere. As a result it is affecting us the consumers as prices rise. In the last 3 years the cost of cardboard has increased by 40%. Even with the effective recycling policies in place locally and nationally we as a country still look to china to provide us with the cardboard and as a result not only have to factor in the increase of the price of the reused paper that goes into the cardboard but also the increase of shipping costs and import duty.

Even with the development of plastic and foam packaging over the years, they principal material is still cardboard. So now more than ever local and national recycling programs, combined with local council and business initiatives could not only help minimise the carbon footprint through less shipping and transport costs, (something with obvious long term benefits to both the local community and the environment.) but a more immediate short term gain would be to keep the costs of packaging down, hopefully that saving would give local commerce a boost.

So food for thought next time you throw the paper based packaging you’re items turn up in from an online purchase, part of the price you pay is for the cardboard, so make sure you put it in the recycling bin.