Contract packing
A flexible outsourced packing resource, shaped around your format, volume and deadline.
Explore this service ↗UK contract packing company
Contract packing,
built around your brief.
Flexible UK co-packing for brands, manufacturers and operations teams—from careful hand packing and kitting to labelling, repacking and packaging rework.
A responsive production partner
for teams that need the job moved forward.
✓ Quality at every stage
Production support for
- Brand teams
- Manufacturers
- Operations teams
- Agencies
- Growing businesses
Contract packing, explained
What is co-packing—and when should you use it?
Co-packing is another name for contract packing: outsourcing packing, assembly, labelling, repacking or rework to a specialist production partner. Stockholm Ltd supports UK businesses that need extra capacity, careful manual packing or a practical route for work that does not fit their core operation.
Explore contract packing services ↗UK packing services
More capacity.
Less complexity.
Whether stock needs assembling, kitting, relabelling, repacking or correcting, we turn a detailed brief into a controlled outsourced packing task.
The right solution starts with the job in front of you. If your requirement is not listed, send us the brief.
Hand packing & kitting
Careful assembly for multi-part packs, promotional kits, presentation boxes and detailed briefs.
Explore this service ↗Labelling & relabelling
Accurate label application, over-labelling and repacking for stock that needs a defined change.
Explore this service ↗Assembly & rework
A practical route for repacking, component changes, quality checks and stock corrections.
Explore this service ↗Wrapping & presentation
Neat, repeatable wrapping and finishing that protects the pack and respects the brand.
Explore this service ↗Small-batch projects
A flexible route for launches, short runs, one-off requirements and work that may grow over time.
Explore this service ↗
Why Stockholm
Your brand is in the detail.
The pack your customer receives is the final proof of a long chain of work. We treat it that way.
01
Clear at the outsetRequirements, responsibilities and timing are discussed before production begins.
02
Care in the processPeople, materials and checks are aligned to the specific work—not a one-size-fits-all promise.
03
Ready for what followsFinished units are prepared with your next operational step in mind.
A straightforward process
From packed brief
to packed goods.
Share the brief
Tell us what needs packing, the format, volumes and target date. Early-stage enquiries are welcome.
Scope the run
We clarify materials, handling, presentation and the practical details that make the job repeatable.
Set up & produce
Your work is prepared for production with clear requirements and checks at the right stages.
Complete & release
Finished units are checked, counted and readied for the next step in your supply chain.
Built around the brief
Flexible where you need it. Precise where it matters.
Your requirement may be a scheduled repeat run, a launch with a fixed date, or a stock issue that needs a practical route forward. We start with the outcome, then work back to the right packing process.
- ✓ A direct conversation about fit
- ✓ Practical requirements clarified early
- ✓ A production approach matched to the job
What outsourcing can unlock
Protect internal capacity
Keep your team focused while a defined packing task moves through production.
Respond to demand
Add a flexible route for launches, peaks, rework and jobs that do not fit your core operation.
Keep standards visible
Turn your packing requirement into a clearer process with agreed details and checkpoints.
Buyer resources
Plan the job before you place it.
Clear, practical guidance for teams comparing outsourced packing services or preparing a quote request.
When should you outsource contract packing?
A practical decision guide covering capacity, pack complexity, timing and the questions to ask a potential co-packing partner.
Read the guide ↗What affects a contract packing quote?
Understand the details that shape a packing quote and prepare a clearer brief for faster, more comparable answers.
Read the guide ↗01What is contract packaging?+
Contract packaging, or co-packing, is the outsourcing of packing, assembly, labelling or rework to a specialist production partner. It gives your business access to people, space and packing capability without building the operation in-house.
02What is needed for a contract packing quote?+
Send the finished pack format, component list, actions per unit, approximate quantity, required checks and target date. Identify who supplies each material and which details are still undecided so the packing scope can be clarified before quoting.
03Can you help with a non-standard packing project?+
Yes—bespoke and changing requirements are exactly why many businesses use a contract packer. Share the practical detail with us and we will discuss whether the project is a good fit.
04Do you work with both short and repeat runs?+
Every enquiry is assessed against the process, volume and timing involved. We welcome conversations about one-off work, repeat production and requirements that may scale over time.
05How quickly will you respond?+
Send the project form or call 01494 623015. We will review the outline and come back to discuss the details needed to move your enquiry forward.
Start a conversation
What needs packing?
Give us the outline. We will come back to discuss the product, format, quantity, timing and what a sensible next step looks like.
Control a co-packing job from received stock to released packs
A co-packing brief becomes actionable when each incoming component can be matched to an approved finished-pack recipe. This matters particularly when several variants, customer-supplied materials or corrective operations share one booking.
Record the pack recipe by variant
List the product, inserts, labels, sleeves, outer packs and quantities needed for one finished unit. Give each approved variant a clear identifier and photograph or sample. Identify visually similar components that must never be mixed and state who can approve a substitution. Keep storage, filling or distribution requirements separate unless they are explicitly included in the agreed scope.
Agree the response to shortages and discrepancies
Decide how received quantities and condition will be checked and which differences need approval before work starts. Record responsibility for short deliveries, damaged components, obsolete artwork and surplus materials. A shortage of one small insert can hold up an otherwise complete run, so include the availability of every component in the start-date decision.
Define completion and release records
Ask the proposal to identify the agreed first-off approval, in-process checks and final release responsibility. Reconcile finished units, rejects, samples and unused components by variant. Specify the outer-case count, labels, pallet arrangement and collection requirements. This lets the quotation and the production record describe the same job, while keeping later changes visible to both teams.
Continue with Contract packing services · What changes a co-packing quotation · Deciding which work to outsource.
Decide which packing work to outsource
Start an outsourcing decision by separating the packing task from the rest of your operation. Describe what your own team will supply, what arrives at the packing site and the exact condition in which finished stock must leave. A clear boundary might cover assembly and labels, a complete promotional build, or corrective work on already packed goods. Stockholm can then assess a defined production brief.
Compare the whole handover with the in-house alternative. Include preparation, staff time, occupied space, component handling, inspection, transport and the effect on the rest of your production. Mark costs that apply once and those that repeat with every batch. This is a planning comparison rather than a promised saving; the suitable route depends on your real volumes, timing and quality requirements.
Agree who approves materials, artwork, batch identification and the final release. For food projects, supplier and business-customer traceability records also need to be considered within the applicable responsibilities. Set a named owner for changes during the run and a clear reconciliation of completed stock and unused components. Those handover details help outsourcing protect internal capacity while keeping the packing outcome under your control.
Can I outsource only one stage of the packing process?
Describe the stage, the incoming condition and the required outgoing format. A clearly separated task can be assessed without assuming that filling, storage or distribution is included in the same scope.
What should remain in my own project brief when packing is outsourced?
Keep the approved product and pack specification, the acceptance standard, responsibilities and change-approval route clear. Agree what records and reconciliation will come back with the finished stock.
What should a first co-packing brief contain?
Describe the product, finished pack and work required, then provide quantities, variants and target dates. Identify which materials you will supply and which need sourcing. Agree the sample approval, production checks and handling of unused materials so the quotation describes the complete job rather than an undefined packing task.
- Product, finished pack and quantities
- Supplied and sourced materials
- Approval and material reconciliation
Related guidance: Small-batch packing · Quote guide
Contract Packing Handover Checklist: Stock to Dispatch
A contract packing handover defines what arrives, which work is authorised and what must leave. Record stock and component identities, quantities, the approved finished pack, checks and dispatch instructions before the run. Stockholm Ltd can review that brief against the proposed packing task; storage, transport, materials sourcing and production dates need their own explicit agreement.
- Incoming product and component references
- Counts by product, variant and unit of measure
- Approved sample and artwork revision