Cannabis Packaging Challenges Faced by the Industry

With the legal status of the cannabis industry still in question at the federal level - and under heavy scrutiny at the state level - staying in compliance with current laws is going to be a number one concern for any business.  

The fast-changing nature of cannabis laws can pose significant challenges to retailers, growers, dispensaries, and other involved entities. Keeping your product packaging compliant can be especially challenging when frequent changes prevent you from ordering materials in bulk.

For businesses who wish to package and sell legal cannabis products, it is essential that you choose a printing and packaging partner that can deliver in the following areas:

Fast Turnaround Times

Due to the constantly changing patchwork of cannabis laws and regulations, you will most likely need to make frequent changes to your cannabis packaging at a moment’s notice. For example, a new law was passed in 2018 that directly affected cannabis packaging and labeling requirements, forcing many businesses to change their packaging with little notice.

These kinds of shake-ups are common in the cannabis industry which makes is essential that your printing and packaging partner have the ability to deliver significantly faster turnaround times than is standard.

Competitive Pricing on Small Order Sizes

Another challenge faced by the legal cannabis industry is the need for small order sizes when it comes to product packaging. Where other industries tend to order large batches of materials to receive bulk pricing, this simply can actually be counterproductive for the marijuana business.

This is for two main reasons:

• Frequent regulatory changes - As mentioned above, cannabis packaging guidelines can change at a moment’s notice. This means that ordering in bulk can often result in wasted materials and, therefore, money.
• Perishable products - Because some cannabis products are highly perishable, inventory must be constantly replenished. The challenge here is that each time a new batch of product is delivered, new lab testing must be done and custom labels must be created before the product can be sold legally.

Finding a printing and packaging partner who is able to provide competitive pricing on small order sizes is going to be essential.

Strong Delivery Infrastructure and How it Relates to Cannabis Packaging

While other industries can often save on packaging costs by ordering in bulk and stockpiling in a warehouse, this doesn’t work for the marijuana business. In fact, you might actually lose money by doing this.

The fact is that anybody who wants to sell legal cannabis needs to find a printing and packaging partner who is able to deliver small orders very frequently. The best companies to partner with are the ones who are able to quickly and reliably deliver small batches of high-quality packaging to your local area. You might also want to look for providers who leverage overseas production to preserve quality while reducing cost.

Overcoming Cannabis Packaging Challenges

As you can see, the industry faces several unique legal challenges with cannabis packaging that many other industries do not. Most printers do not possess the necessary framework to meet your unique needs, so make sure to discuss these points, as well as any other challenges you face, with any prospective cannabis packaging printing partner well before starting an engagement.