Costco Packaging Guidelines & Requirements
TPH Global builds and ships over 40,000 pallet displays to Costco for brand managers of Consumer Packaged Goods Companies (CPGs). Many of of these displays are pre-packed with products using custom packaging from TPH Global. Our clients sell footwear, apparel, socks, gloves, and packaged goods just to name a few.
Costco merchandises pre-packed pallet displays on 48″ x 40″ CHEP pallets. The following is an overview of Costco packaging guidelines:
- No new products will be brought into the system unless it is compliant with Costco’s packaging requirements
- Packaging must be engineered to maintain its structural integrity throughout Costco’s entire supply chain
- Costco packaging specifications help to ensure that Costco’s employees and members are working and shopping in a safe environment
- Costco’s goal is to drive out costs by eliminating extra packaging, handling, and corrugate waste, whenever possible
- Packaging must be display-ready, with no handling required
- Costco’s Structural Packaging Specifications may not be able to encompass each and every circumstance – if you have any concerns that your packaging cannot meet our specifications, contact your Costco buyer
- Costco conducts random performance compliance audits to confirm that packaging meets their specifications – if your packaging is non-compliant, your product(s) may be at risk of deletion, or subject to a 2% charge back to
reimburse Costco’s operational and handling costs as a result of non-compliant packaging
There are many packaging details specific to the variety of goods sold throughout Costco. We will provide you with the packaging designs and renderings complete with all required details to receive the Costco buyer’s approval for the following:
- Package Engineering Factors and Performance Requirements
- Unitized Pallet Requirements
- Corrugated Master Display Modules, Trays and Shipping Containers
- Blister Packaging (including vendor cards): covers card-and-blisters, stretch cards, blister boxes, blister cards, and clamshells
- Pallets
- Note: there are specific packaging and pallet requirements for candy, home furnishings, imports, produce, sundries, and other products displays in Costco coolers and freezers
