How much does packaging design cost in Australia?
The honest answer is that packaging design is priced by scope, not by pack. A single label refresh and a full range system for a national retailer are different jobs, and the price follows the work. Here is what moves the number, so you can judge any quote you receive, ours included.
What drives the cost
How many products and formats. One pack is one job. A range of twenty packs with variants, sizes and a shared system is a design system job, and the effort goes into the system first and the packs second. Good systems cost more to set up and far less to extend.
How much strategy is needed first. If the brand position, the audience and the shelf competitors are already clear, design starts quickly. If they are not, we need to agree them first, because packaging that does not know who it is for will not sell.
What the retailer requires. Selling through a major retailer brings range review presentations, specification and compliance requirements, and deadlines set by the retailer. We have been in the room for many of these at Bunnings and in grocery, and the requirements shape the work.
Imagery and copy. Photography, rendering and writing the on-pack copy are separate effort. Make clear who supplies what.
Regulatory and technical detail. Food, chemical and safety products carry mandatory panels, nutrition information and symbols. Each adds checking time.
Print production. Packaging has to survive the printer. Artwork supplied to the right specification, with the right structure, colours and proofing, avoids expensive reprints.
What a good quote includes
- The number of packs, formats and variants it covers.
- How many concepts you will see and how many rounds of changes are included.
- Who supplies photography, copy and regulatory text.
- Whether final artwork, print-ready files and printer liaison are included.
- What happens if the scope changes, and how that is priced.
If a quote is a single number with none of this, ask for the breakdown. The cheapest quote often leaves out the part you pay for later.
Typical industry price brackets in Australia
While every commercial brief is bespoke, professional packaging design in Australia typically falls into three broad brackets:
- Single SKU or Label Refresh ($3,000 – $6,000): Suitable for an existing product requiring a refreshed visual hierarchy, updated typography, or compliance alignment within an established brand framework.
- Range Review or Relaunch Audit ($5,000 + GST): A structured diagnostic sprint for brand owners preparing for a supermarket or retail range review. Includes an In-Store Category Review (maximum 2 retailers), shelf hierarchy and competitive review, and a Brand Strategy and Positioning Review—delivered within one week of briefing and payment of 50% deposit, with 100% of the audit fee credited toward packaging design for the range.
- New Product Line or Small Range ($8,000 – $18,000): Developing the core design concept, visual architecture, color system, and print-ready finished artwork for 3 to 6 product variants.
- Comprehensive National Range & Retail Systems ($15,000 – $40,000+): Full packaging systems for multi-SKU product ranges selling through major retailers like Bunnings or grocery. This includes category competitor audits, structural pack hierarchies, trade sell-in presentations, and master finished artwork templates across dozens of SKUs (as we developed for clients like McCormick, Stihl, and Sherlock).
Fixed fee or hourly
For a defined set of packs a fixed fee is fairer to both sides, because you know the cost and we are rewarded for getting it right early. For open-ended work, such as ongoing range extensions, a retainer or a day rate with a monthly cap works better.
How to get a reliable price from us
We do not publish a rigid one-size-fits-all price list, because every brand's retail context is unique. Tell us what you are making, how many packs and variants, where it will be sold and when you need it. After a short conversation we can give you a clear scope and a fixed quote.
If you are weighing up a packaging project, see how we work on our packaging design page, learn how we build brands for Bunnings Warehouse, or start a conversation. You may also find our guide on how to brief a packaging designer useful before you ask for quotes.
