Compare custom packaging quotes in Dublin
Dublin brands sourcing custom packaging are navigating a more complex trade environment than before Brexit. UK printers are no longer part of the EU single market, which adds customs formalities and cost for Dublin brands who previously sourced from Britain. EU food contact materials regulations and the incoming EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) set a rigorous compliance bar. RFXapp collects quotes from suppliers and standardises them so you can compare what they actually include, not just the unit price.
If you are looking for the best suppliers in Dublin, the most reliable shortlist is one built around your own requirements and tested with a structured brief - not a generic ranked list. RFXapp helps you find and collect quotes from the right suppliers, and analyse them so you can compare what they actually offer, not just the headline price.
What to consider before you go to market
Getting comparable quotes starts with a well-scoped brief. These are the things most businesses overlook until they're already in the process.
EU food contact materials: Declarations of Compliance
EU Regulation 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to contact food requires that packaging suppliers provide a Declaration of Compliance (DoC) confirming that the packaging is safe for food contact. In some areas - notably plastics under EU Regulation 10/2011 - the requirements are more specific than UK or US equivalents post-Brexit. For Dublin food brands distributing across Ireland and the EU, requiring a DoC from every supplier is a legal necessity, not optional. Suppliers who cannot provide a DoC are not an appropriate choice for food contact applications.
EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR)
The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) is a significant new piece of legislation being phased in between 2025 and 2030. It will mandate minimum recycled content levels in packaging, restrict certain packaging formats, and require compostable packaging in specific categories. Dublin brands selling across the EU need to track PPWR compliance requirements as they come into force - the obligations will affect material choices and supplier selection for packaging sourced today that will still be in use as the requirements tighten. Repak Ireland manages the Irish EPR scheme for packaging.
Post-Brexit sourcing: UK suppliers now add customs cost
Before Brexit, Dublin brands could source from UK printers as easily as from Irish domestic suppliers. Since January 2021, packaging imported from Great Britain into Ireland (as an EU member state) is subject to EU customs procedures, import VAT, and potential tariffs depending on the product's rules of origin. UK printers who previously served the Irish market may still quote in sterling and without the customs cost included. Always ask UK suppliers for a landed cost to your Dublin facility including customs clearance, import VAT, and any applicable EU tariffs.
Import duties from China and other non-EU sources
Packaging imported from China into Ireland (EU) is subject to EU MFN tariffs, typically 6.5% for most paper and board packaging, with some categories higher. There is no EU-China FTA for most packaging categories. Calculate the full landed cost including EU duties, ocean freight, customs clearance at Dublin Port or Shannon, and domestic delivery before comparing offshore and European domestic quotes. European suppliers - in Germany, the Netherlands, and the UK (with added customs) - may be more cost-effective on a total landed cost basis than offshore for smaller volumes.
Lead times: EU domestic vs offshore, and UK complexity
EU-based suppliers (including Irish domestic producers) typically deliver in 2-4 weeks for standard runs. UK suppliers, while geographically close, now add customs clearance time of 3-7 days and administrative complexity. Offshore suppliers from China are 60-120 days door to door including ocean freight and EU customs clearance. For Dublin brands with retailer-driven delivery windows, the predictability of an EU-based supplier often has more value than the unit price difference with offshore options.
Artwork setup costs and PPWR material implications
Artwork setup and die-cut tooling charges are one-off first-order costs that are frequently excluded from unit price quotes. For Dublin brands at typical Irish market volumes - first runs of 1,000-3,000 units per SKU - these setup costs have a proportionally significant impact. There is also a forward-looking material consideration: if PPWR recycled content requirements come into force for your packaging format in 2027-2028, choosing a PPWR-ready material supplier now avoids a mid-life supplier change.
Hidden costs that catch Dublin brands out
These are the items that make two quotes look comparable on unit price but hundreds or thousands of euros apart when the first invoice arrives.
UK supplier quotes without customs cost included
A UK printer quoting €0.95 per unit for a folding carton may have quoted as if Brexit had not happened - in sterling, with no EU customs clearance, import VAT, or tariff included. When these costs are added, the effective price can be 15-25% higher than the quoted figure, eliminating the apparent cost advantage. Always ask UK suppliers to provide a landed cost to your Dublin facility, explicitly including EU customs clearance, import VAT (which is recoverable but a cash flow cost), and any applicable EU tariffs.
No Declaration of Compliance for food contact packaging
A packaging supplier who cannot provide a Declaration of Compliance under EU Regulation 1935/2004 is not a legally acceptable source for food contact packaging in the EU. For Dublin food brands distributing across Ireland and Continental Europe, a DoC is a regulatory requirement at every point of the supply chain. Do not approve a food contact packaging specification without receiving and retaining the supplier's DoC - it is both a legal document and a record you may need if challenged.
PPWR compliance not considered in current packaging specification
Packaging specified today for a product that will still be on the market in 2027-2030 may need to meet PPWR recycled content requirements that do not yet apply. Choosing a supplier or material today that cannot be upgraded to meet PPWR requirements means a costly respecification and supplier change in the near future. Ask potential suppliers how their material range aligns with PPWR recycled content targets and whether they can provide a pathway to compliance as the requirements come into force.
Questions that separate good suppliers from great ones
Asking is only half the job. Below each question is what a good answer sounds like and what should give you pause.
Good answer: An actual Declaration of Compliance for each food-contact material element, signed and dated, with reference to the applicable EU regulations. A supplier experienced with Irish and EU food brands should have these documents ready and should understand the specific requirements for their materials.
Red flag: "Our materials comply with EU food safety standards" without a formal DoC. A general statement is not a Declaration of Compliance under Regulation 1935/2004. Do not accept it for a food-contact application.
Good answer: A full cost breakdown in euros: unit price, origin country freight, EU customs duty, import VAT (noting that it is recoverable), customs clearance agent fee, and domestic delivery to Dublin. A supplier experienced with Irish clients should be able to provide this breakdown.
Red flag: A quote in sterling without a euros conversion, or a total that does not include customs cost. Ask explicitly: "Is EU customs clearance and duty included in this price?" If not, require them to add it before you can compare the quote.
Good answer: A specific answer on current recycled content levels for their standard materials, an acknowledgement of where PPWR targets will require changes, and a credible pathway - whether through existing materials that already meet the targets or a development roadmap.
Red flag: Unfamiliarity with PPWR, or a dismissal of it as "not yet in force." For a Dublin brand selling across the EU, PPWR is a material consideration for packaging specified today.
Good answer: A line-by-line breakdown in euros: unit price, artwork setup, die-cut tooling, Pantone or colour matching charges, proofing, and delivery to Dublin including customs costs if importing.
Red flag: A single total figure with no breakdown, or a quote in a currency other than euros without conversion. A supplier experienced with Irish clients should quote in euros and break out all cost components.
Good answer: Specific FSC certificate numbers verifiable on the FSC database, recycled content percentages in the technical specification, and EN 13432 test reports or equivalent for compostable claims. They distinguish clearly between certified claims and marketing assertions.
Red flag: "Our packaging is eco-friendly" without documentation. For a Dublin brand with EU retail distribution and Repak obligations, unverified sustainability claims are a compliance problem, not just a marketing risk.
Good answer: A specific written tolerance policy with defined parameters for colour variation and print registration. A clear statement of what triggers a reprint at no charge.
Red flag: "We have never had a complaint" or "we will sort it out if there is a problem." That is not a policy. Without defined tolerances in writing, you have no basis for a reprint claim.
Where you have more negotiating room than you think
Packaging suppliers have more flexibility on price and terms than they show in their first quote. These are the levers that actually work once you have competing quotes in front of you.
Commit to a larger MOQ for a lower unit rate
Custom packaging suppliers set MOQs based on their fixed setup costs. If you can commit to three to six months of stock rather than one, ask the supplier to price the larger volume. For Dublin brands selling across Ireland and into EU markets, the combined distribution volume often supports a larger first-run commitment than a single-market brand would make.
Accept a longer lead time for a non-rush production slot
Packaging suppliers prioritise urgent jobs and price the urgency in. If you can offer a 4-6 week window rather than a 2-week deadline, you become a fill-in job between their constrained runs. Ask explicitly: "What would the unit price be if we were flexible by four weeks?" EU-based suppliers managing retailer delivery schedules often have a meaningful rate difference between rush and standard slots.
Source from an EU-based supplier to eliminate post-Brexit customs complexity
For Dublin brands previously sourcing from UK printers, switching to an EU-based supplier - particularly in Germany, the Netherlands, or Ireland - eliminates the customs clearance cost, import VAT cash flow impact, and administrative complexity added by Brexit. The unit price from a German or Dutch supplier may be higher than a UK supplier's sterling rate, but the landed cost difference after customs is often smaller than it appears, and the simplicity of EU single-market procurement has its own value.
Use a standard structure to eliminate tooling costs
Custom box structures require bespoke die-cut tooling. If your product can fit into a standard structure the supplier already has tooling for, you eliminate that first-order cost. Ask each supplier what standard structures they run regularly - for folding cartons used in Irish grocery retail, standard sizes are common and can often accommodate product changes with minor dimension adjustments.
Reduce colour count or simplify finishes
Each additional Pantone colour and finish element adds setup cost and press time. Reducing from four spot colours to two, or using CMYK process instead of Pantone matching, can meaningfully reduce setup costs and unit price. Ask the supplier to requote on a simplified specification and produce a sample before you commit.
Offer an annual volume commitment for a preferential rate
Suppliers price individual runs at spot rates. If you can commit to a total annual volume - three or four runs per year at a minimum call-off quantity - ask for a framework price that reflects the predictability. For Dublin food brands with recurring grocery distribution across Ireland and the EU, this commitment is credible and the supplier will price it more favourably than ad hoc orders.
From "I need to find a packaging supplier" to first delivery
Describe what you need
Write your requirements in your own words - scope, location, timeline, any constraints. RFXapp turns it into a structured brief and prompts you for anything that will help suppliers quote accurately.
Invite your suppliers
Add the suppliers you've already shortlisted, or let RFXapp find local options. They reply by normal email - no portal, no registration.
Compare quotes side by side
RFXapp reads every response and standardises the quotes into a side-by-side view - inclusions, exclusions, assumptions and all.
Negotiate and appoint
RFXapp drafts targeted negotiation emails based on the gaps between quotes. You review and send. Then award the contract from your dashboard.
Other things Dublin businesses source on RFXapp
Most of our users run 5-10 separate buying projects a year. This is often how they find us, but it's rarely the last thing they use us for.