Back to all

How to Choose the Right Packaging for Alcohol Shipping: Safety, Compliance, and Branding

Whether you’re a small business looking to send out your craft spirits or a large brand aiming to distribute widely, making sure your products reach their destination safely and legally is crucial. Shipping alcohol can be a complex process filled with numerous regulations and requirements that vary significantly from state to state.

This guide will break down the essentials of alcohol shipping regulations, including the necessary permits, packaging for shipping alcohol techniques, and state-specific guidelines that you need to follow.

Regulatory Compliance

Before arranging any shipment of alcohol, you should be aware of each state’s transportation regulations.

Shippers should also obtain the necessary licenses and establish agreements with carriers such as FedEx and UPS. Each state may have its own specific regulations regarding the shipment of alcohol. However, some states completely prohibit it.

Some licenses that are required include:

Federal Basic Permit: Issued by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB), this permit is necessary for any business engaging in the production, importation, or wholesale distribution of alcohol.
State Alcohol Shipping Permit: Each state requires shippers to obtain an alcohol shipping permit. The necessary type of permit varies by state, and some states may require multiple permits depending on the nature of the shipment.
Carrier Agreements: Agreements with carriers like FedEx, UPS, and DHL that outline the terms and conditions for shipping alcohol.
Sales Tax Permit: Required by most states to legally collect sales tax on shipped alcohol.
Shipping Carrier Compliance Bond: A bond that some carriers require to ensure compliance with their alcohol shipping guidelines and regulations.

Adult Signature Verification

All alcohol shipments require an adult signature (21+ years) upon delivery. Alcohol Signature Verification ensures that alcohol is not delivered to minors and typically incurs an additional fee. Carriers have specific procedures to verify the recipient’s age and identity at the time of delivery.

These procedures often include checking a valid government-issued identification and obtaining a signature to confirm that someone of legal drinking age received the package.

Safety and Durability

After checking with federal and state laws, your next priority is to get your customer a safe and intact product. Proper packaging helps your products withstand transit shocks, vibrations, and potential impacts.

These are a few best practices for getting your alcoholic beverage delivered in mint condition:

Use the right materials: Choose a durable box with inner packaging made of polystyrene, molded pulp, or die-cut corrugated.
Protection: Inside the box, each bottle should be individually cushioned with padded dividers or foam inserts to prevent movement and breakage. To protect bottles, you can also use bubble wrap or wine bottle sleeves.
Pack tightly: Fill any empty space with filler material like foam peanuts, air pillows, or crumpled paper. Wrap each bottle individually to prevent them from breaking. Pack the box so that it doesn’t move when shaken.
Secure the package: Use strong tape to seal the box along all edges and corners. You can also reinforce the bottom with extra tape or a corrugated pad.
Label instructions: Mark the box as “Fragile” or “Handle with Care”.
Seasonal considerations: Temperature control is another consideration—using insulated packaging or gel packs can help maintain the beverage’s quality, especially during extreme weather conditions.

Packaging and Branding Materials

Picture this: your beautifully crafted product travels thousands of miles, enduring various handling stages and environmental conditions, only to arrive with a worn-out, unreadable label.

Using the proper packaging materials will help your alcohol shipments reach your customers in their best condition. Below are a few important considerations to keep in mind when shipping alcohol.

Materials

Using acceptable materials like molded polystyrene, pulp dividers, and sturdy corrugated cartons ensures your product and its packaging remain intact. When it comes to a safety net, reinforced bottoms are your best friend.

Most major carriers, like FedEx and UPS, include detailed guidelines on what materials can be used for packaging on their websites.

Strong adhesives

Whether braving downpours or UV rays from the sun, a label with strong adhesive should stay put. The right adhesive helps your label stay put and in compliance no matter what wild adventures it may encounter.

Label laminates

Laminates act as barriers against environmental factors, protecting labels from moisture, temperature changes, and abrasion. High-quality laminates keep crucial information like legal disclaimers, barcodes, and brand details intact and readable during transit.

UV coatings

UV coatings provide a layer of protection against harmful ultraviolet light, which can degrade both the label material and the printed information over time. By applying UV coatings, labels are protected against fading, discoloration, and other forms of deterioration caused by UV exposure, particularly during extended periods in transit or storage.

Alcohol Label Requirements

Preparing your label before it gets picked up by your carrier helps avoid issues during shipping. Here is what you need to know:

Electronic shipping solutions: Shippers must use carrier-approved electronic shipping solutions to create and manage shipping labels. This allows shipments to be properly documented and traceable.
Active alcohol shipping account: Carriers like FedEx and UPS have specific systems for processing alcohol shipments. For instance, FedEx requires shippers to have an active alcohol shipping account and a signed agreement.
Special labels: A special alcohol label and an adult signature requirement sticker. Similarly, UPS mandates that shippers have a UPS Agreement for Approved Beer or Wine Shippers.
Declaration: You’ll need to provide details about the contents of the package with clear identification. Alcohol shipments must be clearly labeled as containing alcohol.
Adult signature: Labels should indicate that an adult signature is required upon delivery.
Compliance with origin and destination regulations: Special labels can be obtained from the shipping carrier, and packages must comply with both origin and destination state labeling requirements.

Direct-to-Consumer Alcohol Packaging vs. Distribution Packaging

As an alcohol manufacturer, you might be wondering about the differences between direct-to-consumer alcohol packaging and packaging designed for distribution and shipping on a larger scale.

When shipping directly to consumers, packaging needs to cater to a more personal experience—think appealing designs that embody your brand and provide an unboxing experience. Consider how your packaging can spark joy, but be tough enough to handle.

On the other hand, B2B or distribution packaging focuses more on efficiency and durability; your primary goal is to ensure products arrive intact and ready for resale. This often means using more robust supplemental materials and prioritizing functionality over aesthetics.

Both packaging types have one thing in common—they require a focus on product protection. If you choose the right packaging partner, both can look good and maintain the integrity of your product.

Let Blue Label Help You Choose the Right Packaging

Blue Label Packaging Co. has dedicated experts who can guide you through the ins and outs of packaging regulations. We offer customized solutions like alcohol-compliant labels with no minimum order, second-skin shrink sleeves, and hang tags with luxe finishes.

At Blue Label Packaging, we put our expertise to work. Explore our product labels or talk to an expert about your next packaging product.

Back to all

Can You Ship Alcohol? Everything You Need to Know About Shipping Beer, Wine, and Liquor

When it comes to shipping alcohol, it’s important to do so safely, in full compliance with regulations, and in a way that protects the packaging and integrity of your products. In this article, we’ll cover the regulations that you should know and provide advice for keeping your packaging intact from shipping origin to destination.

Understanding Legal Requirements for Shipping Alcohol

Navigating the legal requirements for shipping alcohol can feel overwhelming. It’s complex, yes, but understanding these regulations is crucial for any business in the alcoholic beverage industry.

Alcohol Licenses

Before even thinking about boxing up a bottle or can, know this: you need the right licenses. These aren’t one-size-fits-all; they vary from region to region.

In the United States, you’ll need to consider the following:

Federal Licensing: First off, you’ll need a basic permit issued by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) to manufacture, wholesale, or import alcoholic beverages.
State Licensing: Each state has its own regulations for the sale and shipment of alcohol. You must obtain a license from the alcohol regulatory agency in each state to which you intend to ship. Some states will require a direct shipper’s license while others might require some combination of retail, distributor, and shipping licenses. See a full list of state-by-state alcohol agencies in the U.S.

Because of the complexity and variety of licenses that a manufacturer may need to obtain, many companies exist to help alcohol beverage manufacturers remain compliant, including Sovos, Compliance Service of America, and Avalara, among others.

Wholesale vs. Direct-to-Consumer

When considering shipping alcohol, it’s important to distinguish between shipping to stores, bars, and restaurants (wholesale) and shipments to consumers. Here are some key differentiations to consider:

Licensing: We covered wholesale licensing considerations above, but when selling direct-to-consumer (DTC), many states require a different shipper’s license and/or permit.
Age Verification: DTC shipping requires an age verification process to ensure recipients are of legal drinking age.
Volume Limits: Some states may impose limits on the quantity of alcohol that can be shipped directly to a consumer.
Labeling and Packaging: When shipping alcohol, there are requirements for labeling and packaging depending on the carrier and the state to which the alcohol is being shipped. We’ll cover this in more detail later in this article.

Alcohol Shipping Agreements

An alcohol shipping agreement is a contract between a distributor or manufacturer of alcohol and a shipping carrier. This agreement outlines the terms under which the carrier will transport products. These agreements typically include the following elements:

Scope of services: Types of alcohol that will be transported, where will it be picked up and delivered, delivery timelines, etc.
Compliance agreement: Both parties agree to comply with all applicable federal, state, and local laws regarding shipments of alcohol
Shipping and packaging requirements: Specifications on how the alcohol must be packaged to minimize damage during transit (including types of materials, labels, and handling instructions)
Insurance and liability: Details who is responsible for insuring the alcohol during transit, as well as each party’s liability in case of any issues

An alcohol shipping agreement will also commonly include payment terms, provisions for compliance audits and inspections, conditions for termination and renewal, and terms of confidentiality.

Prohibition & Dry Counties

“Prohibition? Wasn’t that repealed a long time ago??” Yes, but believe it or not, certain counties and local jurisdictions may still have strict regulations or may even prohibit the shipment of alcohol. You can view a list of dry counties in the U.S. here.

Beyond county and local laws, certain states impose limits on the amount of alcohol that can be shipped (particularly to consumers) within a given timeframe.

Choosing the Right Packaging & Shipping Materials

Selecting the right packaging materials for shipping alcohol requires a balance between ensuring the safety and integrity of your products, ensuring compliance, and keeping costs in check.

Choosing the Right Containers

You’ll want to consider the individual containers that your products come in as well as the shipping container that will be used to transport your products.

Glass Bottles and Cans: Ready-to-sell products like glass bottles and aluminum cans are usually packed into cases and then onto pallets. These could be corrugated fiberboard boxes, wooden crates, or cardboard trays wrapped in plastic.
Barrels and Kegs: Wooden barrels are traditional for spirits like whiskey and wine. Stainless steel kegs are commonly used for beer and cider. Barrels can be wrapped in plastic or another waterproof material to protect against moisture and other elements.
Bulk Containers: For large quantities beer, wine, or spirits that aren’t bottled or canned, shipping in bulk containers like IBCs (Intermediate Bulk Containers) or Flexitanks is common. These containers can hold thousands of liters of liquid and are designed for easy loading and unloading.

Protecting Alcohol During Shipping

The proper packaging can make all the difference in ensuring your alcoholic beverages reach their destination intact. Consider the following:

Use Dividers: Keep bottles from knocking into each other by using dividers. These partitions help provide a snug fit, reducing movement and the chance of breakage. These can be corrugated trays, fiber trays, or even plastic trays.
Proper Sealing Is Key: Don’t skimp on sealing tape. Use a high-quality tape to secure all seams and openings firmly, ensuring that the package remains intact throughout its journey.
Cushioning Matters: Surround your product with ample cushioning material—bubble wrap, foam inserts, or air pillows work wonders in absorbing shocks and vibrations during transit.
Check Weight Distribution: Make sure the weight is evenly distributed in each box and container to avoid boxes from becoming top-heavy and tipping over during the shipping process.

Sustainable Packaging Considerations

Sustainable packaging solutions can help support your brand in the eyes of buyers who value environmental stewardship. Materials that can help reduce the environmental impact of packaging and shipping include:

Corrugated Cardboard
Biodegradable Packing Peanuts
Recycled Plastic and Bioplastics
Paper Bubble Wrap
Kraft Paper
Mushroom Packaging
Seaweed Packaging
Organic Fabrics

As with any eco-friendly material, you’ll have to weigh the benefit compared to the cost of materials. Consider the entire lifecycle of packaging materials too—from production to usage to disposal.

Labeling Considerations for Shipping Alcohol

When shipping alcohol, two of the major labeling considerations to take into account are the labels on the products inside and the shipping labels themselves.

Protecting Product Labels During Shipping

Whether you’re shipping in cans, bottles, kegs, or larger containers, there’s no doubt about it—alcohol labels must endure the elements during the shipping process. After all, no brewery, winery, or distillery wants to see their products on the shelves with tattered and torn labels.

Here are some tips to ensure your labels endure the shipping process:

Choose the right high-quality label materials: Your labels are going to have to endure moisture and temperature fluctuations during the shipping process. Choosing label materials that are resistant to scuffing and moisture (for example, BOPP, a synthetic material) will limit damage from the elements.
Choose the right adhesive: A label printing company like Blue Label can help you choose the right adhesive to withstand temperature fluctuations and humidity.
Protect your labels: Protective coatings like UV varnishes or lamination can provide an additional barrier against moisture, light exposure, or even damage from friction.

Choosing Alcohol Shipping Labels

You’ll need shipping labels for the boxes, pallets, or containers in which your alcohol is shipped. Obviously these labels will have your business address and the address of the destination, but you’ll also have to follow certain rules and regulations to ensure your shipping labels are compliant:

Federal Regulations: Your shipping labels must include your permit number and must clearly identify the type of alcohol inside the package (i.e. beer, wine, liquor, etc.). Labels must also include the origin and the destination of the shipment.
State Regulations: While each state will have its own regulations, states may require the following: shipper’s license number, quantity limits detailed on the label, and purchase method (i.e. online/phone)
Carrier-Specific Requirements: Each carrier (ex: FedEx, UPS) will have their own requirements, but expect carriers to require an adult signature from the recipient and specific labeling indicating that the package contains alcohol.

While regular shipping labels will get the job done, specialized shipping labels that feature your branding can add a visual appeal to packaging seen by consumers and buyers alike. If you’re thinking about branded shipping labels, remember the following:

Be sure to incorporate mandatory regulatory information
Ensure that your design doesn’t obscure any legally required information
Consider implementing a QR code to link to your company’s website, product details, or promotional videos

Special Considerations for Beer, Wine, and Spirits

While many of the regulations for shipping alcohol are consistent no matter the type of alcohol, there are some things to consider depending on what you’re shipping:

Shipping Beer: When bottled or canned, shipments of beer can be sensitive to changes in pressure and temperature—packaging that prevents agitation and extreme temperature changes is important. Since beer bottles are particularly delicate, using strong materials, dividers, and cushioning will help protect your product.
Shipping Wine: Wine is also sensitive to temperature changes—using temperature-controlled shipping methods or even insulated packaging can help protect the quality of the wine. Bottles of wine are also typically shipped on their sides to keep the cork moist, which helps maintain the seal and prevent oxidation.
Shipping Spirits: Spirits with high alcohol content may actually classify these products as hazardous materials under certain shipping regulations. This may require special handling, labeling, and compliance with material shipping laws. In addition, high-strength seals and tamper-evident packaging can help protect liquor bottles during the shipping process.

Staying Updated and Avoiding Common Mistakes

In the world of alcohol shipping, staying informed can help you avoid common pitfalls. Here’s how to stay up-to-date:

Embrace Continuous Learning: Regulations around packaging and shipping alcohol aren’t set in stone; they change with time. Subscribing to industry newsletters, attending webinars, or joining trade associations are excellent ways to stay on top of changes. This proactive approach helps avoid mistakes that could cost you in terms of compliance violations or damaged goods.
Leverage Technology for Efficiency: Innovations like smart labels (which track a package’s journey) or eco-friendly materials (that appeal to green-minded consumers) not only streamline operations but can also improve your brand’s reputation for innovation and responsibility.

Conclusion

We’ve covered the essentials of shipping alcohol—from ensuring safety and compliance to ensuring your product remains intact and appealing once it reaches its destination.

Safety and Compliance: These are non-negotiable. The right materials, clear labeling, and the proper licenses are essential to shipping alcohol.
Branding: Your packaging is the face of your product. Custom labels and printed boxes can set you apart in a crowded marketplace.
Legal Awareness: Staying informed about regional regulations helps avoid costly mistakes.
Material Choices: Opting for durable options helps safeguard your products.

Shipping alcoholic beverages requires careful packaging to ensure product safety, regulatory compliance, and brand representation. Don’t risk damaged goods, fines, or an underwhelming customer experience. Blue Label’s experts can help you choose the right packaging and label materials when shipping your beer, wine, or spirits products.

Back to all

Shrink Sleeves: Storage and Shipping

Shrink sleeves are an increasingly popular labeling option for a variety of businesses that want 360-degree coverage for their products. However, shrink sleeves are more delicate than other types of labels, which can pose some problems during shipping and storage.

The special materials used for shrink sleeves makes these labels more susceptible to potential damage, especially when they’re being transported or saved for future use. Fortunately, a little preparation can help you protect your shrink sleeve labels ahead of application, especially when it comes to environmental concerns and handling.

Maintain Temperature Control

One of the challenges involved with shipping and storing shrink sleeves is that these labels are very sensitive to environmental changes. If the shrink sleeves get too hot, cold, wet, dry, or anything else, it can cause the material to react and distort the labels or worse, make them completely unusable. It’s important to make your shipping and storage areas as climate controlled as possible to keep your investment safe.

A warehouse with shrink sleeves and other product labels.

These environmental factors can be a major concern when it comes to shipping. If it’s a hot month, it can get be sweltering in an unprotected truck bed. In the winter, the opposite can happen. In some cases, companies will even used temperature-controlled shipping to transport shrink sleeves to protect against any damage that can happen during transit. Some applicators will also require temperature gauge labels that will display if a shipment got too hot or cold. This way they’ll know that a shipment was compromised right away and won’t waste production time trying to apply warped shrink sleeves on containers.

Storage can also be an issue without some planning. Warehouses or other storage facilities can undergo fluctuating temperatures and humidity levels. Both of these can affect the ink on the shrink sleeves or warp the label material over time. As such, its encouraged that you or your applicator have climate-controlled storage area if you plan to have any extra shrink sleeves on standby or if there will be a delay between delivery and application.

Handle Shrink Sleeves with Care

Environmental factors aren’t the only potential danger to shrink sleeves. Improper handling can also cause scrapes, scuffs, and other unsightly damage.

One advantage of shrink sleeves is that the ink is printed on the inside of the label. This process protects the ink from scratches after the sleeve is applied to a can or some other container. However, the ink isn’t protected until after application – remember, heat will make the sleeves warp prematurely – which means there’s not a lot protecting that ink until that step. As a result, it’s important to delicately handle sleeves before application.

Of course, shrink sleeves can require a lot of handling after they’re printed. Depending on your vendors, your printer may need to send the rolls to a converter to seam them into sleeves. After that, the sleeves are shipped to an applicator, also known as a decorator, that apply them to your containers.

Since shrink sleeves need a little extra protection before application, it’s important to take steps to help limit the potential of damages caused by improper handling. Some label printing companies have converting equipment in house, which will cut down on the number of times your labels are shipped and handled. Your printer can also put labels on boxes containing shrink sleeves so that everyone knows the contents are delicate.

A woman carefully handling shrink sleeves for new products.

Work with a Printing Company that Takes Care of Your Shrink Sleeves

Shrinks sleeves can help you achieve a special look for your products, but it’s important to work with a label printing company that gives you the labels you need to succeed. At Blue Label, we’ve invested in both state-of-the-art digital printing presses and shrink sleeve converting equipment. That means we can not only print quality shrink sleeves, we can also help you cut down on the number of vendors you’ll need, the amount of times your shrink sleeves are handled, and the length of production time.

Ready to invest in quality shrink sleeves for your products? Contact Blue Label today to talk to our experts about your next label project.