The Five Objectives of Packaging and Labels

When shipping a package there are some good reasons for having the right type of packaging material.

Physical protection. Proper packaging protects the item or objects in the package from potential damage that could be caused by automated handling devices, physical force, airborne contamination, rain, pressure, sunlight, heat, and cold.
Agglomeration. Small objects can be packed together in one package for efficiency. For example, 1,000 pencils packaged in one box require less handling than 1,000 pencils packaged individually. However, bulk amounts (of salt, for example), may be better divided into packages of a size suitable for individual households.
Information transmission. Packaging may contain information on how to use, transport, or dispose of the contents. For example, pharmaceutical products are required by governmental regulations to have this information on packaging.
Marketing. Custom printed packaging and labels may be used to advertise a company’s products or services.
Reduction of theft. Packaging may be larger than it needs to be in order to discourage theft by making it more difficult. A software package, for example, may contain only one disk yet be large enough to hold dozens.