Packaging design price bands for 2026 — single SKU, ranges and full systems — plus artwork, print setup and the costs founders forget.
A single-SKU packaging design typically costs £1,200–£4,000 in the UK, a range of three to six SKUs £4,000–£12,000, and a full packaging system with structure and print-ready artwork £12,000–£30,000+. Print-ready artwork, dielines and repro are usually quoted separately from design and are not optional.
Packaging is the only piece of design most brands pay for that has to survive a shelf, a courier, a freezer and a phone screen. That is why pricing is different from a logo: the design is roughly half the work, and production is the other half.
| Scope | Typical UK market range | Includes |
|---|---|---|
| Single SKU | £1,200 – £4,000 | One design direction developed, one dieline, artwork |
| Small range, 3–6 SKUs | £4,000 – £12,000 | System design, variant logic, flavour coding, artwork set |
| Full system, 10+ SKUs | £12,000 – £30,000+ | Structure, hierarchy rules, repro management, retail testing |
These are typical market ranges, not Graphy Studio prices. Every project is quoted individually.
Designing before the structure is confirmed. Designing one SKU beautifully and then discovering the range needs five. Ignoring the shelf test — a pack that looks superb at A3 on a laptop can disappear at 60mm behind a chiller door. And approving artwork without a printed proof, which is the single most expensive shortcut in packaging.
Design the range, not the pack. The second SKU is where cheap packaging design falls apart.
Typically £1,200 to £4,000 in the UK for a single SKU, covering one developed design direction, application to the printer's dieline and print-ready artwork. Extra structures, finishes and renders sit on top.
Not always, and you should ask explicitly. Design is the visual decision; artwork is the technically correct, print-ready file your printer needs. Quotes that omit artwork look cheaper and finish more expensive.
Four to eight weeks for a small range from kickoff to print-ready artwork, assuming dielines and legal copy arrive on time. Print lead times are then set by your manufacturer, not your designer.