Your tape is dearer. Here’s why that may be missing the point.
It is one of the first things we hear when businesses start looking at water-activated tape.
And yes, on a per-roll basis, it often is.
But that is also the wrong comparison.
The real cost is not just the price of the roll. It is the cost of weak seals, over-taping, messy cartons, rework in the packing area, and the customer impression left when a box arrives looking second-rate or easy to tamper with. Water-activated tape is designed to bond to corrugated cardboard, creating a stronger seal and a more tamper-evident pack than standard plastic tape systems. Independent testing published by Better Packages reports higher carton-sealing productivity with water-activated tape dispensers, lower average tape use per carton, and stronger carton integrity than pressure-sensitive tape.
That is why we believe water-activated tape should not be judged on roll price alone. It should be judged on what it helps your operation achieve: stronger carton sealing, cleaner presentation, better consistency at the packing bench, and a better delivery experience for your customer. Published supplier resources also position water-activated tape as a way to improve branding, reduce material waste, and help standardise packing performance.
And there are practical examples of that value in the market.
As another packaging company found in a published case study, one client was using up to 8.4 metres of tape per box before moving to gummed paper tape with a dispenser system. After the change, tape use fell to 2 metres per box, and the case study reported a 13% saving per pack. The point is simple: a higher price per roll does not automatically mean a higher total packaging cost.
So when someone says, “Your tape is dearer,” our response is simple:
Yes — but we are not selling a cheaper roll of tape. We are helping you create stronger seals, better-looking cartons, and a more reliable packing operation.
Talk to Packline about water-activated tape today!