Custom PDQ Display Trays

Designing for Real Store Conditions

Retailers have rules for shelf-ready packaging, and they generally come down to five things: easy to identify in the back room, easy to open, easy to put on the shelf, easy to shop from, and easy to dispose of. Clear product codes and names on the outer case help staff find it. A tear line that opens without a knife protects products from blade damage.

The front lip should be low enough that shoppers can see and reach the products, typically 30–60 mm high depending on product size. The tray must fit the shelf depth and height in the target store, so measure the planogram space or ask the buyer for it. Remember that the tray will be handled by people in a hurry, so perforations must tear cleanly every time.

It is worth testing a prototype with real products before the full run. Fill a plain sample tray, put it on a shelf and ask someone unfamiliar with it to open it. If they reach for a knife, the tear line needs to be clearer or easier to grip. Our guide to choosing a box style compares tear-off cases with lidded displays.

Sizing Around Your Product

Work out how many units you want per tray and how they sit: in rows, standing up or lying flat. Add the product dimensions together and allow 2–3 mm per unit for easy removal. For example, twelve 60 mm diameter jars in a 4 x 3 arrangement need an inside of around 250 x 190 mm.

Height depends on the case: tall enough to protect the products during transit, but with the display part cut to the right lip height once opened. Many suppliers aim for case weights that one person can lift comfortably, typically under 10 kg.

Remember that trays sit side by side on the shelf. If your outer width does not divide neatly into the shelf length, you may lose space at the end of every bay, so ask the buyer for shelf widths before fixing the footprint. The measuring guide for packaging covers rows, columns and clearance.

Print That Works on a Busy Shelf

Shelf-ready trays are seen from a distance and at an angle, so bold, simple graphics work best. Put the brand name and product type on the front lip in large type. The sides can carry flavour or variant names, and the outer case should carry clear barcodes and handling information.

Flexographic printing in one to three colours is common and cost-effective for larger runs. Full-colour litho-laminated or digitally printed trays suit premium lines and short promotional runs. White-lined board makes colours brighter; brown kraft board gives a natural look that suits artisan and farm products.

Use contrasting colours on the tear line or print a small arrow and tear here instruction, so staff open the case the right way first time.

Lines That Suit Shelf-Ready Trays

Food and drink suppliers are the main users, packing jars, bottles, snack bars, sauces and confectionery. Household and health product brands use them for cleaning products, batteries, toiletries and pharmacy lines. Pet food and treat brands, garden products and stationery suppliers all use PDQ trays for their supermarket listings.

Smaller producers selling to farm shops, delis and independent grocers also use them to make stocking easy for shop owners, which can help win new stockists.

Wholesalers supplying cash and carry outlets use them too, because a tray that goes straight onto a shelf saves their customers time as well. Loose items such as sweets or batteries are better dispensed from cardboard shelf bins than a flat tray.

Ask the Buyer for the Shelf Width Before Fixing the Footprint

A PDQ tray lives or dies by the planogram, so before anything is drawn ask each retailer for three figures: shelf width, shelf depth and the lip height they allow. A width that does not divide into the shelf length wastes space in every bay. Then set the count per tray so a filled case stays under about 10 kg for one person to lift, and give us the product weight for the flute choice.

Have someone unfamiliar open a plain sample; if they reach for a knife, the perforation changes before print. Send the product dimensions, units per tray, the retailer guidelines, artwork and quantity, and a custom quote comes back by email within one working day, with minimums quoted per job. The free proof shows the dieline, the tear line and the print. Production takes 4–7 working days after approval and the flat trays arrive by free tracked delivery to UK mainland addresses in 2–3 working days. Damaged or misprinted trays reported within 10 days are reprinted or refunded. Lines that stay on display for months move to retail display boxes with a permanent header.