Is it cost Effective to Replace Plastic Tape with Paper Tape?

Most packing tapes do not contain recycled material – so they’ll be susceptible to the Plastic Tax. Paper equivalents are available, but are they a serious cost-effective option?

Once the Plastic Tax came into force, it was a question our team answered several times a day.

You have three options to replace your plastic tape with paper. Here’s a rundown of the cost comparisons and application differences. 

The cost pricing for products is taken from our catalogue (version 7)– they vary from company to company, but this is an excellent way to compare.

Paper Packing Tape

48mm x 50m, ordinarily available in kraft or crepe (value).

A standard-value paper tape to match a standard-value plastic tape costs £0.033/m. That’s just over double the cost of a standard plastic tape - £0.014. That is after the plastic tax is applied, so if just one strip of plastic tape does the job for your product, you’ll struggle to make a cost argument for paper tape.

If you are currently using more than one strip of plastic tape to pack up your product, there is likely a cost saving by using paper tape. That’s because paper tape adhesive is often solvent or equivalent – very strong. One strip of paper tape will suffice where three or four strips of plastic tape are currently used, bringing a saving.

Paper tapes are also very aesthetically pleasing, and there is a brand argument to be had.

Water Activated Paper (WAT) Tape

70mm x 200m, available in standard or reinforced.

Many parcels arriving from online sources to your door are taped using Water Activated Tape. It is very strong and cheaper than paper packing tape, and the dispenser saves operator’s time. The cost per metre is still more than standard packing tapes at £0.03/m. WAT tape is wider (70mm, not 50mm) and more robust – again, less tape is required.

For WAT tape to work for your operation, the products/cartons being taped should ideally be relatively consistent and not over 1500mm.

WAT tape is the most cost-effective method of taping up a box with paper providing the above can be overcome.

Machine Tape and Printed Tapes

Paper machine tape is available – but plastic machine tape is even more competitive than hand tape at £0.009/m. Paper Machine Tape at £0.034 is over three times more. This difference will likely come down over time, but that is the current situation.

Paper tape, either standard, machine or WAT, can be printed. It is very smart, often black or one colour on plain brown paper tape, with the best effects.

Let’s look at this topic from the point of view of what you may be trying to achieve….

I want the cheapest available packing option…

If your current application involves just one or two strips of tape, the cheapest way remains standard, high tack or high adhesive plastic tape. If the application is consistent, the same length of tape each time and on a small box, Machine Tape on a cast taper would be cheaper again.

If you need more than one or two strips of plastic tape, especially if it is fast tack or adhesive, paper tape could be a cost-effective, even cheaper option.

If the application is consistent, uses less than 1500mm in one strip, and more than one strip of plastic tape is required – it is highly likely WAT tape will save direct cost, save on labour costs, and look very smart too.

I want to move to paper either way…

The choice is between standard paper tapes applied by hand or water-activated tape via a dispenser. Where the conditions are suitable for WAT tape– consistent items and less than 1500mm lengths of tape required – is the easy choice. It will also cut operator costs. If not, paper hand tape is the best option.

Here’s a chart with comparison costs per meter on tape. They are taken from our first price break in the catalogue, and other prices are available from that catalogue or many other packaging companies. They provide a direct comparison.