Last updated November 10, 2026. We review this article every six months, so the next review is May 2027.

State recyclability and labeling rules keep changing, so check them before you lock in your 2027 print runs.

Flexible packaging (pouches, bags, films, wraps and sleeves) usually uses less material and weighs less than rigid packaging, which can lower shipping costs and help extend shelf life. It is the second-largest segment of the U.S. packaging market, behind corrugated. Choose rigid packaging instead when your product needs crush protection, stacking strength or a premium shelf presence.

Choosing packaging can feel overwhelming, especially for consumer packaged goods brands, manufacturers and contract packagers. This guide explains what flexible packaging is, where the market stands, the real advantages and limits, and how to decide between flexible and rigid formats.

In this guide

• What is flexible packaging?
• How big is the flexible packaging market?
• Benefits and limits
• Flexible vs rigid packaging
• How to choose the right packaging type
• Printing methods
• Sustainability and regulation
• Frequently asked questions

What is flexible packaging?

Flexible packaging is any package whose shape can change when it is filled or handled. Common formats include stand-up pouches, bags, roll-fed film, shrink sleeves, wraps and flexible labels. Many are made from laminated layers of plastic film, paper or metallized film, so a single package can combine a printable outer layer, a barrier layer and a sealable inner layer. Our flexible packaging and flexible film page shows the formats we work with.

How big is the flexible packaging market?

According to the Flexible Packaging Association’s 2025 industry report, U.S. flexible packaging sales reached $42.6 billion in 2024, up 2.9% from $41.4 billion in 2023. FPA members projected 4.8% growth in 2025, to about $44.6 billion. Food is the largest end market at roughly $19 billion, or about 45% of the total.

Benefits of flexible packaging

• Lower material use. A pouch typically uses far less material than a rigid jar or box holding the same amount of product.
• Lighter shipments. Lower package weight and compact storage before filling can reduce freight and warehousing costs.
• Barrier protection. Laminated films can block oxygen, moisture and light, which helps extend shelf life for food and other sensitive products.
• Convenience. Resealable zippers, tear notches, spouts and hang holes are easy to add.
• Print impact. Large printable surfaces allow full-color branding and shelf visibility.

Limits to plan for

• Less crush protection. Fragile products often still need a corrugated shipper or protective packaging.
• Recycling challenges. Multilayer films can be difficult to recycle through curbside programs.
• Equipment needs. Filling and sealing usually requires pouch-filling or form-fill-seal equipment.
• Shelf presence. Soft packages can slump or be harder to stack, so many brands pair them with a display or carton.

Flexible vs rigid packaging

For rigid options, see our rigid boxes, folding cartons and custom boxes.

How to choose the right packaging type

1. Product type. Is it dry, liquid, fragile, perishable or regulated?
2. Size, weight and shape. Note any special handling needs.
3. Budget. Compare cost per finished unit, including freight and storage.
4. Shelf and display plan. Decide whether the package must stand, hang or sit in a display.
5. Shipping path. Think about how many hands touch the product before the customer.
6. Regulations and labeling. Confirm any food, safety or recycling label requirements.
7. Talk to a specialist. A packaging specialist can compare options against your product and budget.

Printing methods for flexible packaging

Many flexible packages use reverse printing, where the artwork is printed on the inside of a clear film and then laminated, so the ink is sealed between layers. Flexography dominates the industry: FPA’s report shows flexo at 76% of shipments, with unprinted film at 12%, gravure at 11% and digital at 1%.

Sustainability and regulation

Flexible packaging often uses less material than rigid alternatives, but recyclability is the open question. Regulators are paying attention: industry reporting counted 41 packaging extended producer responsibility (EPR) bills across 16 states in 2025, and some brands are reviewing recyclability labels on polyethylene packaging. Colorado’s program started in January 2026, Oregon’s is fully in effect, and California’s Senate Bill 343 on recyclability claims and labeling takes effect in 2026, according to Packaging World’s report on the FPA’s State of the Industry presentation. If you sell in several states, check current rules before you finalize a structure. Monomaterial films, paper-based options and bio-based resins are all worth discussing with your supplier.

Frequently asked questions

What are examples of flexible packaging?

Examples include stand-up pouches, bags, roll-fed film, shrink sleeves, wraps and flexible labels. Items such as tape, foam and bubble wrap are usually classed as protective packaging rather than flexible packaging.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of flexible packaging?

Advantages include lower material use, light weight, strong barrier options and print impact. Disadvantages include limited crush protection, harder stacking and recycling challenges for multilayer films.

Is flexible packaging sustainable?

It often uses less material than rigid packaging, which is a sustainability advantage. Many multilayer structures are still hard to recycle, so sustainability depends on the specific structure and local recycling options.

What is flexible packaging made from?

Common materials include polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polyester (PET), nylon, paper, metallized film and bio-based films such as PLA, often combined in laminated layers.

How big is the flexible packaging market?

The Flexible Packaging Association reported U.S. sales of $42.6 billion in 2024, about 20% of the U.S. packaging market and the second-largest segment behind corrugated.

Talk to a packaging specialist

Not sure whether flexible or rigid packaging fits your product? Packaging Source Inc. offers flexible film and packaging, printed labels and retail packaging. Contact us or call 214-808-7664.

Related reading

• Why Packaging Is Important for Branding
• How To Redesign Your Product Packaging
• How to Design a POP Display That Sells

Sources: Labels & Labeling on the FPA 2025 report; Flexible Packaging Association; Converting Quarterly.

Product details: flexible film packaging with designed film laminations.

Last updated November 10, 2026. We review this article every six months, so the next review is May 2027.

A point-of-purchase (POP) display is a printed or built unit that holds your product right where shoppers decide what to buy. In a state with a retail workforce as large as Texas has, with about 1.42 million people employed in retail as of December 2025, shelf space is crowded and a display is one of the few ways to stand out inside the store.

What a POP display is

You’ll also hear it called a point-of-sale or retail display. It’s placed near related products or in a high-traffic spot such as the front of the store, the middle of an aisle or the checkout. Floor displays and pallet displays make a destination out of a product. Counter units catch impulse buys by the register. The goal is the same either way: give a product its own space and a reason for the shopper to stop.

What the research says

The most-cited numbers come from POPAI, the point-of-purchase industry association. Its 2014 mass-merchant study found that 82% of purchase decisions were made in the store and that 34% of shoppers made no list at all. Its earlier grocery study put the in-store figure at 76%. In the mass-merchant study, 16% of unplanned purchases were driven by a display the shopper saw in the store.

Main types of POP displays

How to order in Dallas-Fort Worth

Tell us what you’re selling, where it will be displayed, how many units you need and when it has to be in stores. We’ll recommend a format, build a sample and manufacture the display in our Frisco facility. You can also visit the showroom at 2601 Network Boulevard, Suite 440, Frisco, TX 75034, or call 214-808-7664.

Questions we hear a lot

What does point of purchase mean?

It means marketing placed where customers make buying decisions in a physical store. A POP display is the most common form.

What does POS mean in marketing?

POS stands for point of sale, usually the checkout area. Every POS display is also a POP display, but a POP display can sit anywhere in the store.

Why are POP displays important?

Because most purchase decisions are made in the store, and a display gives your product a space that’s separate from the shelf crowd.

Should I order online or work with a local printer?

Either works. A local manufacturer is easier when you want samples in hand and quick revisions, and you can reach us by phone, email or in person.

More: POP displays · custom POP displays · designing displays that sell · locations we serve

Get More Sales Through Printed Presentation

Estimated Read Time: 5 minutes
Article Summary: Custom printed packaging helps local businesses boost sales by drawing customers’ attention through eye-catching, branded presentation. In a post-COVID world where online sales have surged, many small vendors need ways to reconnect with physical shoppers. Printed boxes and point-of-purchase displays (like countertop and floor displays) offer a visual way to communicate brand identity and product appeal. These packages support every stage of the customer journey—from creating awareness to encouraging trial and adoption. They’re also versatile, used for retail, mailers, and subscription boxes. By working with local print shops, businesses can create custom packaging that’s both impactful and cost-effective.

Local businesses and small merchants within Texas often have questions about how to draw the attention of potential customers in order to sell their wares. With sales shifting heavily to the digital marketplace during the COVID-19 pandemic, many vendors have lost touch with creating customer conversion through physical sales. 

An answer to their issue is through visual engagement. Much like retail, the key to engaging with consumers is a consistent message and representation of your products throughout the purchasing process. How your products look, what your products do, and how your customers relate to the product are all factors in the sales conversion process. 

If you have ever bought items in a retail setting, you’ve seen products presented in different forms. The package that the product comes in, a display holding countertop products, and even buildable die-cut floor displays. Drawing the eye of a potential customer in the real world means winning a competition of multiple factors and products that can impede successful sales. 

Table of Contents:

• What are Custom Printed Boxes?

• Effectiveness of Custom Packaging

• Different Types of Printing Boxes

• How to Order Printed Boxes

• Frequently Asked Questions

What are Custom Printed Boxes?

Custom printed boxes are self-contained units that function as both packaging for the particular product, as well as a visual representation of the brand and its identity. Imagine the counter of a convenience store; everything from candies and snacks to cigarette lighters and other smoking adjacent items have their own spaces marked by the branded packaging that holds that product. 

Custom printed boxes are designed to attract the eye of the consumer through a multitude of different parameters. These include target demographics, location, and size of the product and packaging, as well as a likeness to adjacent products. 

Attracting the eye of a potential customer while representing brand presence through custom box design is also useful for showcasing local business affiliations. For instance, local businesses in the Dallas – Fort Worth area can emblazon custom boxes with logos and addresses in the form of printed boxes for wholesale shipping and custom mailers.

As an example, look to businesses like Amazon and Hello Fresh. Their product boxes serve as a display of their brand identity through logo and association while showcasing websites, locations, and social media presence. The branding is consistent throughout and the packaging is optimized for instant identification. 

Effectiveness of Custom Packaging

There are 5 stages in the customer adoption process: awareness, interest, evaluation, trial, and adoption. Custom retail packaging and POP displays can help to cover the awareness and interest steps, while the product itself is presented immediately to be evaluated, trialed, and decided upon. 

Drawing attention to your products

• Customers are more likely to purchase items that engage with them visually.
• Effective placement of Point of Purchase displays draw in up to 13% of in-store eye fixations.
• Instant call to action with option of in-person experience and purchase.

Different Types of Printed Packaging

Printed boxes and packaging are a mainstay option for small business shipping, but they aren’t the only way that custom box design can be utilized. Presentation boxes and point-of-purchase displays are easy and cost effective methods to accentuate products in the retail market. Shipping needs can be achieved through retail packaging, custom mailer boxes for subscription services, and more:

• POP Displays
• Protective Packaging
• Retail Packaging
• Packaging Labels
• Custom Box Designs
• Presentation Boxes
• Mailer Boxes
• Folding Cartons

How to order Printed Boxes

Ordering printed boxes for local businesses based in Dallas and Fort Worth is easy. There are many custom printed box merchants based in the DFW area who can meet your needs for retail packaging and displays. 

1. Design your logo and brand assets along a consistent presentation and message
2. Determine what size box, materials, and what quantities will fill your needs
3. Apply graphics to fit to the packaging dimensions
4. Order a sample to ensure that you are going to be happy with the final product before mass production
5. Place your order

Final Recap

By utilizing custom printed packaging local businesses are granted unique benefits. Customer conversions that are heavily favored by retailers have become available to companies who ship products. 

The power of custom printed box design and point-of-purchase displays can help to tap greater potential in customer engagement and brand recognition. Utilizing these methods, businesses can incorporate their existing products and promotions to reach new levels of conversion.

Frequently Asked Questions

How to design a box? Continue reading “Get More Sales With Printed Presentation Boxes”

Last updated November 10, 2026. We review this article every six months, so the next review is May 2027.

Redesign what’s broken and leave alone what shoppers already use to find you. That’s the whole lesson of the most famous packaging redesign failure in the business, and it applies whether you sell juice or custom candles.

What happened to Tropicana, twice

PepsiCo launched new Tropicana Pure Premium cartons in January 2009. The orange with a straw in it was gone, replaced by a glass of juice on a cleaner, paler carton. Unit sales fell 20% and dollar sales fell 19%, about $33 million, between January 1 and February 22, according to Information Resources data reported by Ad Age and Bloomberg. The company announced it was dropping the design on February 23. A company executive told the New York Times that he’d underestimated the emotional bond shoppers had with the original carton.

You’d think the industry learned. In 2024 the brand, now owned by Tropicana Brands Group, switched its flagship juice to a new bottle, and Circana data cited by CNN showed year-over-year sales down 8.3% in July, 10.9% in August and 19% by October. Packaging World’s review of 2025’s biggest stories still counts it among them. This time the complaints were as much about the changed shape and size as the look.

Tropicana isn’t alone. Celestial Seasonings once went back to its old boxes after shoppers said the slimmed-down redesign was harder to find on shelf.

Why people react so strongly

Most shoppers don’t read packaging. They recognize it. They scan for a color, a shape and a picture, and they grab. Change those cues and the product you’ve bought for years can look like a different brand, or like a store brand. The loyal customers who buy most often are the ones most likely to miss the change.

A process that holds up

1. Name the reason. A new regulation, a product change, a new channel or an outdated look are all good reasons. “We’re bored of it” is not.
2. List what shoppers use to find you. Color, logo placement, shape, a mascot. Mark each one as keep, adjust or drop.
3. Decide how far to go. Evolution means fixing what isn’t working while keeping the recognizable parts. Revolution means starting over, and it only makes sense if the current brand is hurting you.
4. Test with real shoppers. Show the new design next to the old one, on a shelf mock-up and as a small thumbnail, since many of your customers will first see it in a marketplace listing.
5. Phase it in. Change one thing at a time where you can, and plan how to sell through existing inventory.
6. Measure and be ready to back out. Track sales weekly for the first couple of months, and keep the old artwork on file.

Good reasons to redesign right now

Sustainability rules are changing quickly. Industry reporting counted 41 packaging extended producer responsibility bills across 16 states in 2025, so recyclability labels and material choices may force changes whether you planned them or not. Moving into e-commerce is another: a package built for a shelf doesn’t always survive a parcel network. Both are good moments to touch structure and printing together.

Mistakes we’d watch for

Changes so small nobody notices are a waste of the effort. Changes so big that your regulars can’t find you are worse. Design by committee tends to sand off whatever made the pack distinctive, and copying a competitor’s redesign means inheriting their problems. Decide with shopper evidence, not the loudest opinion in the room.

Questions we hear a lot

How often should you redesign packaging?

There’s no fixed cycle. Review it when your product, channel or regulations change, and make small updates more often than big overhauls.

Why did the Tropicana redesign fail?

It removed the most recognizable cue on the shelf, the orange with a straw, without changing the product. Shoppers couldn’t find it quickly and many read the plain carton as a cheaper brand.

How much does a packaging redesign cost?

It depends on whether you change only graphics or the structure too. New structures need new tooling, so costs rise quickly. Ask your packaging supplier to quote graphics-only and full-structure options separately.

If you’re weighing a redesign, we’ll walk through structure and print options with you. Call 214-808-7664 or use the contact page.

Related: box styles · litho label packaging · why packaging matters for branding · custom retail packaging

Last updated November 10, 2026. We review this article every six months, so the next review is May 2027.

A custom point-of-purchase (POP) display is built around one product and one store setting. It holds the right amount of stock, carries your branding and fits the space the retailer is willing to give you. A stock display can’t do all three at once, which is why brands that care about how they show up on the floor tend to go custom.

We design and build displays in corrugated, plywood, hardwood, MDF, sheet metal, wire, aluminum and acrylic, and we can take a project from design and prototype through manufacturing, inventory, drop shipping and warehousing.

Do displays actually move product?

Usually, but the size of the effect varies a lot by product, placement and price. Here’s what the published studies reported, with the caveat that they measure different things and aren’t directly comparable.

It doesn’t always work. One in-store experiment found no change in relative sales for a dishwashing liquid when a cheaper competitor sat nearby. A display needs to give shoppers a reason, not just a place to look.

Choosing a material

Features worth asking about

Depending on the product, a display can include pegboard, adjustable shelving, cabinet lighting, clothing racks, hinged or sliding doors, glass panels and rotating bases. Each one adds cost, so start with what actually helps shoppers see and reach the product. Our design team will usually push back on features that don’t earn their place.

Shipping matters as much as looks. Knock-down (KD) construction ships flat, which cuts freight cost and damage, and the store or a merchandiser assembles it. Pre-assembled displays cost more to ship but save labor on the floor. Ask the retailer which they prefer before you decide.

Questions we hear a lot

What is a custom POP display?

It’s a display designed and built for a specific product and retail setting, as opposed to a stock fixture. It can stand on the floor, sit on a counter or mount on a shelf.

Should I choose corrugated or wood?

Choose corrugated for temporary programs and tight budgets. Choose wood or metal when the display needs to last years or hold heavy product.

Do you handle shipping and storage?

Yes. We offer prototypes, manufacturing, inventory management, drop shipping and warehousing, so displays can go straight to stores.

How do I start?

Send us your product dimensions, where the display will sit, your quantity and your target date. Call 214-808-7664 or use the contact page.

More: POP displays · floor displays · counter-top displays · how to design a POP display that sells