Packaging buyers have learned an uncomfortable lesson over the past several years: yesterday's price isn't necessarily tomorrow's price.
In 2026, tariffs and changing global trade policies continue to create uncertainty across manufacturing supply chains. Recent trade actions have continued to target imported materials and industrial supply chains.
How Tariffs Reach Your Packaging Budget
Tariffs don't have to target your finished packaging directly to affect your costs.
Packaging equipment contains components such as:
- Motors
- Sensors
- Electronics
- Steel
- Aluminum
- Controls
- Bearings
Packaging materials can similarly be affected by changes in resin, transportation and imported input costs.
Avoid Buying Based Only on Unit Price
Procurement teams should consider total landed cost.
That includes:
Purchase price + freight + duties + inventory carrying costs + lead time + potential downtime.
A supplier offering a slightly higher unit price with dependable inventory may ultimately cost less than a supplier experiencing repeated shortages.
Consider Supply Continuity
Ask suppliers:
- Where is the product manufactured?
- Is inventory stocked domestically?
- What are typical lead times?
- Are alternative materials available?
- How quickly can supply scale?
Carry Strategic Inventory
Just-in-time inventory works beautifully until supply isn't just in time.
Critical packaging materials deserve realistic safety-stock levels based on consumption and replenishment times.
Don't Sacrifice Quality to Offset Inflation
Switching to the cheapest available film can create more waste, slower machine speeds and damaged products.
Instead, evaluate cost per finished package.
Packaging Made Easy
Packaging Made Easy works with businesses to evaluate packaging equipment and materials based on performance, availability and total packaging cost—not simply the price printed on an invoice.
