Custom Flat Tuck Display Boxes

Sizing the Tray and the Header

Start with the product. Decide how many units you want on display at once and how you want them arranged, for example two rows of six or three rows of four. Measure one product and multiply out, leaving a few millimetres of breathing space between units so they lift out easily. That gives you the inside dimensions of the base.

Next, think about the counter itself. Many shop counters are crowded and have room for only a small footprint, so it is worth asking a few stockists how much space they can realistically give you. A display that fits neatly beside a card reader is far more likely to stay on the counter than one that takes over the space. The header panel usually stands between 80 and 150 mm above the back wall, enough to carry a logo and a short message without toppling. The free proof drawn flat and folded shows the header height against the products before anything is cut.

Choosing the Right Board

Most flat tuck displays are made from a stiff folding boxboard or a thin E flute corrugated. Folding boxboard gives the sharpest print and the neatest tucked edge, which suits lighter products such as lip balms or seed packets. E flute corrugated, laminated with a printed sheet, is stronger and copes better with heavier goods like jars of honey, bottles of hot sauce or tins.

If the display will stand in a shop for months, choose a board with some stiffness so the header does not start to lean. White board shows bright colours well, while kraft gives a natural look that suits artisan food and handmade products.

Designing the Printed Surfaces

Shoppers spend only a moment looking at a counter display, so the header has one job: name the product and give a reason to pick it up. A clear logo, a product name and a short line such as a flavour, a benefit or a price point area is usually enough. Leave the detailed copy for the individual product packs inside.

Remember that the outer faces of the side walls and front lip are visible too. Printing a pattern or brand colour on these makes the tray look complete from every angle. The inside of the tray is mostly hidden by products, so a simple flood colour there is enough. A gloss or matt varnish protects the print from handling and keeps the display looking fresh for longer. Brands that need a display with a back panel and shelves move up to the pop-up display boxes for counters.

Using Flat Tuck Displays for Wholesale and Events

Food and gift brands selling into independent shops often send a flat tuck display with every first order. It gives the retailer an easy reason to put the product on the counter rather than on a shelf, and it keeps your branding consistent across every stockist. Some brands ship the display pre-filled, sitting inside the outer shipping carton, so the shop simply unpacks and places it.

At trade shows and markets, a few flat tuck trays packed in your bag let you set up a tidy sampling station in minutes. They also double as storage trays behind the scenes, keeping stock sorted by variety.

Line Up the Units on the Counter and Measure the Footprint

A counter tray is only right if it fits the counter, so start there rather than with the product. Ask the shops you supply how much depth they can give you, since many tills leave only 150 mm, then arrange the number of units you want on show in rows on a table and measure the footprint. Add 5 mm each way, set the front lip 10 mm below the top of the product so it can be lifted out, and decide whether the header carries a price. If the tray will be shipped pre-filled, it needs a slightly stiffer board. Trays that must hold heavier jars for months are better as the PDQ display trays in corrugated board.

Prepare the header artwork and the side-wall pattern as separate files. Email the product size, units per tray, counter depth, board and quantity and a custom quote comes back within one working day, followed by a free design proof showing the tray folded. Trays are made in 4 to 7 working days once approved and delivered flat, free and tracked, on the UK mainland in 2 to 3 days. Trays that arrive creased or misprinted are reprinted or refunded when reported within 10 days.