1. Overview

This guideline outlines mandatory requirements for sales unit packaging design, material selection, and palletized shipping to ensure product protection, optimal retail display, and logistical efficiency for Costco wholesale operations. Compliance with these standards is required for all products supplied to Costco’s distribution and retail networks.

2. Section 5.1: Rigid Sell Unit Packaging

2.1 Core Design Principles

Rigid sales units must demonstrate superior stacking strength to withstand multi-level palletization. They are engineered to enhance product visibility for retail shoppers, minimize redundant packaging materials, and streamline in-store handling.

2.2 Recommended Packaging Forms

- Gusseted & Squared Bags (Self-standing bags): Optimal for space utilization and display effectiveness. Where feasible, flexible films must be constructed from mono-materials certified as widely recyclable to align with sustainability goals.

- Self-supporting Primary Requirement: Sales unit packaging may eliminate the need for a secondary display tray if all criteria below are met:

  1. Possesses inherent self-supporting structural integrity.

  2. Is unitizable into a stable pallet load, with a design that prevents damage during shipping.

  3. Meets a minimum size requirement of 7.5" x 7.5" x 7.5" (19 cm x 19 cm x 19 cm) or larger.

  4. Is designed to resist mechanical clamping during layer-based distribution (refer to Section 2 for detailed specifications).

  5. Maintains product weight-bearing capacity without buckling, independent of corner boards or auxiliary shipping components.

  6. Bottle closures must deliver adequate stacking strength to function as a self-supporting structure.

2.3 Pallet Load Optimization

Reverse-engineering of packaging dimensions is strongly encouraged to achieve a stable, space-efficient pallet load footprint that maximizes warehouse and transportation utilization.

3. Section 5.2: Sell Unit Packaging – Blister

3.2 Preferred Material & Packaging Types

Costco mandates paper card and trapped paper card packaging as the primary blister packaging solutions.

- Approval Requirement: Written buyer approval is mandatory for the use of:

  - Card-and-blister (trapped blister) packaging

  - Stretch card (stretch pack) packaging

- Prohibited Blister Designs: The following formats are not acceptable unless exempted for pharmacy/chewing gum unit-dispensing blister cards:

  - Box-and-blister, blister card (face seal), skin board, mock clamshell

  - Two-piece blister packs (clamshells)

  - Blister box/box-and-blister

  - Face-sealed blister cards

3.3 Material Compliance

All blister packaging components must be constructed from materials that are:

- Widely recyclable

- Certified compostable, or

- Biodegradable (in sales regions where such regulations apply)

3.4 Aesthetic & Functional Plastic Standards

Costco will conduct pre-launch approval of packaging for aesthetic integrity only (non-structural review). Plastic used in blister packaging must meet:

- Minimum thickness to securely hold products

- High optical clarity for product visibility

- Non-compliant plastic materials/features:

  - Rigid PVC

  - Plastic with cracking propensity and/or sharp edges

  - Prohibited blister formats (listed in Section 3.2)

4. Section 5.3: Sell Unit and Display Tray Integration

4.1 Integrated Design Objectives

Display trays and sales unit packaging must be engineered as a cohesive system to ensure dual protection of products during transit and effective merchandising in retail environments.

4.2 Design Specifications by Product Type

5. General Palletization Standards

All palletized loads must conform to standard Costco footprint specifications:

- 48" x 40" (121.92 cm x 101.6 cm) pallet base (standard industry footprint for Costco logistics)

- Stable load configuration to prevent shifting, tipping, or damage during transit

- Compliance with all structural and material requirements across Sections 5.1–5.3 to ensure seamless integration with Costco’s material handling equipment and retail display systems.

6. Compliance Verification

All packaging designs must be submitted for pre-approval by Costco’s buying and logistics teams prior to production. Deviations from these guidelines may result in shipment rejection, delayed delivery, or additional logistics costs for the supplier.

For further questions regarding Sam's Club packaging solutions, please contact CTK！