How much air are you shipping?
Calculate how much empty space your shipping box contains and which internal size would fit better. All you need are the dimensions.
From 1 January 2030 at the earliest, and in any case three years after the European Commission has adopted the calculation method, grouped packaging, transport packaging or e-commerce packaging may, under the European Packaging Regulation (PPWR), contain no more than 50% empty space. Void fill such as air cushions, foam and crumpled paper counts as empty space, so you cannot simply fill it up.
Looking for substantiation for your own packaging file? This page sets out which data we can supply about our boxes — and which we cannot yet.
This calculator gives an indication based on dimensions and is not legal advice. Consult the regulation or an adviser for your specific situation.
What applies when?
Choose a moment. The calculator compares the result with the limit that applies then.
What else applies at this moment?
A box that fits
Based on your dimensions and the chosen clearance:
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Calculated with a 1200 × 800 mm euro pallet and one fixed orientation per layer. Rotating boxes within a layer can sometimes fit more in practice.
How this calculator works
You enter the dimensions of your product and how many items go in a box. The calculator first works out the empty space in your current box the way the regulation measures it: the volume of the box minus the volume of your products, as a percentage of the box. Clearance counts as empty space.
It then adds the clearance you choose and finds the smallest box that fits. For that box it calculates the empty space in the same way, and how much volume you save compared with your current box.
The fit test looks at all six ways a product can sit in a box, not just at volume. A product of eighty centimetres does not fit in a box of sixty, however ample the volume may be. That sounds obvious, but it is exactly where a volume-only calculation goes wrong.
What counts as empty space
Void fill counts. Paper shreds, air pillows, bubble wrap, foam and polystyrene do fill the box, but for this calculation they count as empty space. That is exactly why filling is not a solution: you do not shift the problem.
The standard behind this is the European Packaging Regulation (PPWR), which limits empty space in grouped, transport and e-commerce packaging to half. The European Commission has yet to adopt the exact calculation method, and the date of application is linked to it. Treat the result of this calculator as guidance, not as a test.
Frequently asked questions
How much clearance should I choose?
Five millimetres is tight and only works for a sturdy, snug product. Ten millimetres is the usual choice. Choose fifteen to twenty-five millimetres if protective material has to go around it or if the product is fragile. Note: every millimetre of clearance counts as empty space.
Why does the advised size differ from a standard size?
Because our boxes are produced per order and we do not deliver from stock. A non-standard internal size usually costs no more than a common one, so there is no reason to squeeze your product into a size that happens to exist.
What if several products go in one box?
Enter the quantity. The calculator then looks for the arrangement with the smallest box volume and takes into account how many boxes fit on a pallet. Where results are equal it picks the arrangement that produces the fewest pallets.
Is my data stored?
No. The calculation happens in your own browser and nothing is sent. If you want to share a result with a colleague, use the shareable link button; the data then sits in the link itself.