Priority, Perishable and Fragile Tape: Which Printed Tape or Label Does Your Parcel Need?

3 hours ago

2 min read

A courier handler has a few seconds with each parcel. Printed warning tape and handling labels tell them what matters in that time: this one is urgent, this one is cold, this one breaks. They are a cheap way to cut damage, delays and customer complaints.

Here is a quick guide to the printed tapes and labels New Zealand businesses use most, and when to use each one.

Quick guide

Your parcel is...	Use	Size
Time-critical	Priority tape or Urgent tape	48mm x 100m
Food or short shelf life	Perishable tape	48mm x 100m
Chilled	Keep Chilled tape	48mm x 100m
Frozen	Keep Frozen tape and Freezer Grade tape	48mm x 100m
Breakable	Fragile Handle With Care tape or labels	48mm tape, 90 x 50mm labels
Heavy	Caution Heavy Object labels	90 x 37mm
Not stackable	Do Not Stack tape or Top Load Only tape	48mm x 100m
Valuable or confidential	Security seal tape	60mm x 100m

Priority tape

Priority tape is bright printed packing tape that seals the carton and flags it as urgent in one step. It is popular for express orders, replacement parts and anything with a delivery deadline. Rolls are 48mm x 100m, so one roll seals a lot of cartons.

Perishable tape

Perishable tape warns handlers that the contents will spoil if left on a depot floor. Use it for food, flowers, plants, samples and other time-sensitive goods. Pair it with Keep Chilled or Keep Frozen tape when temperature matters, and use freezer grade tape on cartons that go into cold storage.

Fragile handle with care labels and tape

For glass, ceramics, electronics and gifts, use both protection inside and a warning outside. Our Fragile Handle With Care labels are 90 x 50mm with 1000 labels per roll, in landscape or portrait. If you pack in volume, Fragile tape is faster because you seal and label at the same time.

A label is not a substitute for good packing. Wrap the item in honeycomb paper or bubble wrap and fill the gaps so nothing moves.

Security seal tape

Security seal tape shows if a carton has been opened. It is used for e-commerce orders, pharmaceuticals, electronics and confidential documents. It gives you and your customer a clear answer if a parcel arrives short.

Tips for using printed tape and labels

Put labels on at least two sides so they are seen however the parcel is stacked.
Run printed tape across the top seam and down the sides.
Do not cover the shipping label or barcode.
Use one clear message per parcel. Too many warnings get ignored.

Order printed tape and labels

All the tapes and labels above are in stock in Auckland, printed tape starts from $8 + GST a roll, and are dispatched within 2 business days. Browse all adhesive tapes and labels, or open a trade account if you buy by the carton.