Tray Display Boxes
Low open trays with die cut slots to hold jars, pots and tubes upright.
from £0.25 a boxView style
Shelf Ready Packaging
One printed case that protects your stock on the way to the store, then tears open along a perforation to become the tray on the shelf.
From £0.25 a boxpriced per job and sent by email within one working day
Often Used For
- Snacks and confectionery
- Canned and jarred food
- Health and beauty multiples
- Pet food pouches and treats
- Household cleaning products
- Drinks bottles and cartons
Working to a retailer's case guide? Send it with your quote request.
What is shelf ready packaging?
Shelf ready packaging, often shortened to SRP, is an outer case designed to go straight onto the shelf. It carries your stock from the factory or warehouse like any carton. In store, an assistant tears away a perforated front or lifts off a hood, and what is left is a neat printed tray holding the products facing forward.
The point is speed. Staff put a whole case out in one movement instead of unpacking and facing up each item, and the shelf looks tidy with your brand on the tray edge.
Why do retailers ask for it?
Stores count the minutes their staff spend filling shelves. A case that opens in one tear and drops into place saves time on every delivery, and empty trays are quick to swap. Shoppers find the product faster because the tray front acts like a small sign, and the range looks complete because every case looks the same.
For a brand, that tray front is valuable print space in a part of the store where packaging usually blends together.
- Faster shelf filling for store staff
- A consistent block of your brand on the shelf
- Products held upright and facing forward
- Less handling damage than loose stock
Independent shops benefit in the same way. A small team that fills shelves before opening appreciates a case that goes out in seconds, and a tidy branded tray makes a corner shop shelf look more like a well run store.
What makes a good shelf ready case?
It has to pass five quick tests: easy to identify in the stockroom, easy to open without a knife, easy to put on the shelf, easy to shop from, and easy to fold away when empty. A case that needs scissors or tears unevenly fails the second test and annoys the people who decide whether your product stays on the shelf.
We mark the tear line clearly, use perforations that open cleanly, and print a small arrow or pull tab where the tear starts.
The fifth test is often forgotten. An empty tray that folds flat with one push goes into the cardboard bale quickly, while a heavily glued tray that has to be torn apart is left on the shelf, and an empty tray with your name on it looks like a product that has sold out.
Is shelf ready packaging only for supermarkets?
No. Pharmacies, convenience chains, garden centres and pet shops use it too, and so do independent shops that like the tidy look. If your product goes onto a counter rather than a shelf, a printed counter display box is the better fit.
Which board does shelf ready packaging use?
Most cases are E flute because it prints well and perforates cleanly. Heavier products such as jars, cans and bottles need B flute so the case survives stacking on a pallet.
| Product | Board | Opening |
|---|---|---|
| Snack packs, bars, sachets | E flute | Tear away front panel |
| Beauty and health multiples | E flute | Perforated window or hood |
| Jars, cans, bottles | B flute | Tear strip with reinforced base |
| Pet pouches and treats | E flute or B flute | Open front with lip |
Where should the print go?
Print the panels that remain after opening: the front lip, the side walls and, on taller trays, the back panel. Large, simple branding works best because shoppers see the tray from a metre or more away and often from an angle. The tear away part can carry stock information for the warehouse: product name, count and a barcode panel.
Retailers often want the product, not the case, to be the hero, so keep tray graphics calm enough that the packs in front still stand out.
Bring the retailer brief
Many stores set rules for case size, opening method and how the tray must look once open. Send any guide your buyer has given you and we draw the dieline to it.
How do we size a shelf ready case?
If you are not sure of the shelf depth, a standard depth is a safe start and we can adjust later.
- Send the size of one pack and the count per case.
- Tell us the arrangement: rows, layers and which face points forward.
- Send the shelf depth and any height limit if you know them.
- Add any retailer rules on case size, opening or marking.
- We draw the case and the opened tray and show both on the free proof.
How deep should the front lip be?
Low enough to show the product, high enough to stop it sliding out when the shelf is knocked. For upright packs a lip at about a quarter of the pack height usually works. For loose items such as pouches, a higher lip keeps them in. We show the lip on the proof against the pack outline so you can judge it.
For packs that lean, such as pouches or bags, a lip with a small inward fold stops them slumping forward and keeps the front of the block straight.
Does a shelf ready case need a header?
Usually not, because shelves are close together and a header would be crushed. On the top shelf or in a promotion bay, a short header helps the case stand out. We can add a fold down header that staff raise only where there is room.
Some brands also add a shelf strip, a narrow printed card that clips under the tray front. It can be changed for promotions without reprinting the cases, and we can quote it with the main order.
Print what stays on the shelf
Once opened, only the front lip, the sides and sometimes the back panel stay visible. Put the brand there, and keep handling marks on the parts that tear away.
How does an order for shelf ready packaging work?
Send pack size, count, quantity and any retailer guidance. You get a price within one working day by email, then a free proof showing the case closed and opened. Production takes 5 to 7 working days after approval. If you are choosing between formats, read counter display versus shelf ready packaging.
How are the cases delivered?
Cases ship flat, banded in bundles and packed in outer cartons or on a pallet depending on the quantity. Delivery to any UK mainland address is tracked and free, taking 2 to 3 working days. If any cases are misprinted or crushed in transit, tell us within 10 days and we reprint or refund them.
Keep a few flat cases aside when you pack your first batch so you can test the opening with store staff before the full launch.
Shelf Ready Packaging Specification
Everything below can be changed to suit your product. Ask if you need something not listed.
| Styles | Tear away front tray, tray and hood, open front case, wrap around with perforated window |
|---|---|
| Opening | Perforated tear strip or tear away panel, marked on the case |
| Board | E flute or B flute corrugated |
| Full colour outside, inside print on request | |
| Finish | Matt or gloss varnish or lamination |
| Size | Made to your pack and the case count your buyer asks for |
| Case marking | Product name, count and barcode panel printed where you need it |
| Price | From £0.25 a box, quoted per job by size, board, print and quantity |
| Proof | Free design proof with dieline before printing |
| Production | 5 to 7 working days after proof approval |
| Delivery | Free tracked UK mainland delivery in 2 to 3 working days |
Design Your Display Box
Pick a photo of shelf ready packaging, upload your logo and see it on the box. Send it with your sizes for a price and a free proof.
Choose a display box
Drag the logo or use the arrow keys.
Related Display Boxes
Food Display Boxes
Counter displays for snacks, bars and sachets on deli and café counters.
from £0.25 a boxView style
Floor Display Units
Free standing shelved units in B flute board for aisle ends.
from £0.25 a boxView style
Display Box Inserts
Card and corrugated inserts that hold each item in place in the display.
from £0.25 an insertView style
Shelf Ready Packaging FAQs
How much does shelf ready packaging cost?
From £0.25 a box, quoted per job by size, board, print and quantity.
What does SRP stand for?
Shelf ready packaging, also called retail ready packaging. It is a case that becomes a shelf tray.
Can you follow my retailer's packaging guide?
Yes. Send the guide with your quote request and we draw the dieline to it.
How does the case open?
Along a perforated tear strip or a tear away front panel, marked so staff know where to start.
Will the perforation weaken the case in transit?
We set the perforation so it holds during transit and tears cleanly by hand in store.
Can the tray be printed inside?
Yes. Inside print shows once the front is removed and is worth it on taller trays.
Which board do I need for jars?
B flute, with a strong base, so the case survives stacking.
Can you add a barcode panel?
Yes. We leave a clear panel for your case barcode and product details.
Can shelf ready cases go on a pallet?
Yes. Tell us the pallet pattern you use and we size the case to suit it where possible.
Do I need a header on a shelf tray?
Usually not. A fold down header can be added for top shelves or promotion bays.
Can I test a sample case first?
Ask on your quote. We can price a short plain sample run before the printed order.
How do I order a different count later?
Send the new count and we adjust the dieline, then send a fresh proof.