Printing and Finishes for Chocolate Packaging

What should you decide before the artwork?

Print decisions are easier once three things are settled: the box style, the board and where the box will be seen. A lid and base box on a cabinet shelf is seen from above. A tuck box at the till is seen from the front. A bar box in a basket is seen from the end.

Knowing that tells you which panel matters most. Put your logo and the product name on the panel the customer sees first, and save the details for the panels they turn to later.

The board matters too. White card shows colours as they look on screen. Kraft board is brown and warm, so colours printed on it look deeper and a little muted. Rigid boxes are printed on the wrap paper, which can be white, coloured or textured.

It also helps to decide how many designs you need. A range of six flavours can share one layout with a colour change for each, which keeps the shelf tidy and the artwork simple. A single design with a flavour sticker suits small runs where the range changes often.

What artwork files work best?

Vector files keep logos crisp at any size, so they are the best choice for a logo or lettering. Photographs and painted patterns need to be high resolution at the size they will print. If you only have a small image, send it anyway and we will tell you whether it will print cleanly.

• Logos: PDF, AI, EPS or SVG
• Photographs and patterns: high resolution PNG or JPG
• Text: send it as text in an email as well, so we can set it cleanly
• Brand colours: send any colour references you use
• Ingredients and allergens: send the final wording

If you just want to see a logo on a real box first, try Design Your Chocolate Box and send the picture to us with your request.

Are the inks safe next to chocolate?

We print chocolate packaging with food-safe inks, so the inside of the lid, the base and card inserts can be printed as freely as the outside. Trays that touch the chocolate are either card printed with those inks or food-safe PET.

Even so, most makers place a pad, glassine sheet or cup between the chocolate and any printed surface. It keeps the chocolate looking clean and stops dusting marking the print.

The same applies to wrappers and sleeves for bars. The bar sits in its own foil or inner, and the printed wrapper goes on the outside, so the print never needs to touch the chocolate at all.

How do the finishes compare?

Finishes can be combined. Many gift ranges pair soft touch with foil on the logo; a quieter brand might choose matt with a single foil line.

When does foil look its best?

Foil works best on bold shapes: a logo, a name, a border. Very fine lines and tiny text can fill in, so keep foil details a sensible size. It looks most striking against a dark or deep colour, where the metallic line stands out sharply.

On card it sits on the printed surface. On rigid boxes it is applied to the wrap paper before the box is built, so it runs cleanly up to the edges. Gold, silver and copper are the usual choices; ask on your quote if you have another in mind.

Full colour or a single colour?

Full colour suits photographs, painted patterns and designs with many shades. A single colour on a coloured board can look just as smart and is often more refined on a small box, because there is less going on.

Many chocolatiers choose one strong colour of board, print the logo in a single ink and add foil. The result is calm and recognisable across a whole range.

If you are building a range that will grow, a single colour system is easier to extend. Each new flavour gets a new board colour and the same printed logo, so the family resemblance stays strong without fresh artwork every time.

Where should each piece of information go?

The lid or front carries the logo and the product name. The inside of the lid carries a flavour key, a note from the maker or a thank-you. The base or back carries ingredients, allergens, weight and your address. Side panels carry the flavour name so stacked boxes can be read.

Keep small text away from fold lines and the edges of windows. We mark both on the proof so you can move anything that is too close.

For boxes sold through other shops, leave a clear space for a barcode and the weight. Shop buyers look for those first, and a box that already carries them is easier to stock.

Allergen information should stand out from the ingredients list, for example in bold. Send the final wording and we set it to be readable at the size of your box.

How do you read the free design proof?

The proof shows the box flat, with your artwork placed on every panel and the fold and cut lines drawn over it. It also lists the size of the box and the finish.

1. Check that every word is spelled correctly and every allergen is listed.
2. Check the logo sits the right way up on the lid when the box is closed.
3. Look for text that crosses a fold or sits on a cut line.
4. Confirm the finish and the foil areas are where you expect.
5. Reply with changes, or approve it so production can start.

Nothing is printed until you approve the proof. If you are unsure about a colour, ask and we will talk it through before you sign off.

Which print mistakes are most common?

Small text on a fold, a logo upside down on the lid once folded, a dark background with fine white text that fills in, and a pale colour on kraft that almost disappears. All four are easy to spot on the proof if you know to look for them.

Another is expecting a screen colour to match print exactly. Screens glow; ink does not. Bright greens and pinks in particular look a little softer on paper, especially on kraft.

What happens after you approve the proof?

Card boxes are printed and made in 4 to 6 working days, rigid boxes in 8 to 10. Free tracked delivery to the UK mainland then takes 2 to 3 working days. When the boxes arrive, check a few from each carton. If anything is misprinted or damaged, tell us within 10 days and we reprint or refund.

Quotes come back by email within one working day, prices start from £0.25 a box for card styles, and minimums are low and set per job.