Packagings for Perfumery Products

Perfumes are a mixture of alcohol, oils and distillates of fragrant essences and it is because of their composition that in the field of shipping are considered dangerous goods: falling into the category of flammable, the fragrances are particularly complex to ship.

To this we must add that perfumes are usually contained in extremely fragile packaging, for example in glass bottles. Without the slightest precaution, an accident could trigger fires and open flames, which would cause damage to the carrier or the person handling your package.

But how to ship a perfume safely?

Some aspects should be taken into account:

PACKING GROUP: Before sending a perfume it is necessary to know and know how to distinguish the Packing Groups to which these products belong because each Group corresponds to a different mode of transport.

Perfumes, in particular, are classified in UN 1266 class 3 (flammable liquids) and are divided into two different Packing Groups: PG II and PG III, where the former refer to medium-dangerous substances and the latter to lightly-dangerous substances. Knowing how to identify the degree of danger of the goods to be shipped is a priority to ensure safe transport and according to the law.

Another aspect to be highlighted is linked to the amount of product that can be introduced into a single package, also regulated by precise rules.

LIMITED QUANTITY: The international regulation defines the amount of product that is allowed to transport in a single package, we speak in this case of transport in Limited Quantity (LQ). In this context, the selected transport route is a determining variable that affects the quantity that can be packed, especially sea and air transport are subject to greater restrictions, it is not always allowed to ship perfumes in Limited Quantity.

The packaging must then bear the appropriate labels and marks for this mode of transport.

EXCEPTED QUANTITY: However, there are exceptions to the permitted quantity of perfume. The legislation allows you to ship these products in Excepted Quantity (EQ). In some cases there is the possibility, with regard to the inner packaging, to ship quantities of product within 30 ml without restrictions. This rule applies to both PG II and PG III, but changes the maximum amount allowed in the outer packaging, which for the first is 500ml while for the second 1000ml.

The packaging must then be properly labelled for this mode of transport.

To be able to safely ship perfumery products you need to know in detail the international regulations ADR, ICAO/IATA, IMDG and RID that regulates the transport of dangerous goods and provides provisions for the correct packaging methods.

Relying on dangerous goods’ transport experts is the first step in averting transport risks. Our Team is trained on the regulations and constantly updated, contact Overpack for a safe and in accordance to regulations packaging for the transport of your goods.

Choosing the right packaging is also essential for a correct and safe transport of perfumery products: if the transport takes place in a cardboard box, it must be 4G and 4GV UN approved, in the event that you decide instead to ship the goods in plywood boxes, these must be 4D and 4DV UN approved. The inside of the packaging must then be filled with absorbent material, such as absorbent sheets or vermiculite, in order to avoid the spilling of dangerous liquids.

Finally, the packages must be affixed with the correct labelling and marking according to current legislation and any accompanying documentation such as Multimodal or Shipper’s declaration.