Jun 03 2020

Avoiding Parcel Tampering

Sending out your parcels can come with a variety of risks, one of which can be people trying to access, steal or damage the contents of your parcels. With parcels being handled by multiple people at various stages of their journey, there is an increased chance for people to try and tamper with them. There are, however, a few easy ways in which you can prevent and deter the wrong people from trying to access your parcels.

Self-Seal/Tear Strips

The first way method for avoiding parcel tampering is to use packaging that has self-sealing strips. In some cases, access can be gained to parcels sealed with standard packaging tape and resealed to make it look like everything is normal (until the parcel is opened and contents are missing, making it look like a failure to pack all the contents from your end). Self-sealing packaging features strong adhesive strips that once sealed, cannot be opened, and resealed again, making it evident that someone has wrongfully accessed your parcels. Similarly, self-sealing packaging comes with tear-open strips, which when used are again clear signs of tampering.

Man Carrying Parcels

Gummed Paper Tape

As previously mentioned, standard packaging tape can sometimes be carefully removed and resealed to make it look like nothing has happened. With gummed paper tape, however, the adhesive is water activated and will soak into the fibres of cardboard that it is applied to, creating an extremely strong bond that cannot be reactivated once it has been removed, making it a very effective method for avoiding parcel tampering.

Tamper Evident Tape

Tamper evident security tape is specifically designed to let you quickly tell if someone has opened your parcels during storage or transit. Once the tape has been applied to a parcel it will look how it does when it’s on the roll. Once someone peels it off, however, part of the adhesive will come away from the tape leaving a clearly visible pattern on the box as well as on the tape itself.

Tamper Evident Tape

Strapping and Stretch Wrap

Strapping is a useful packaging material that can help to bundle items together and reinforce parcels. Although not fool proof, using strapping can also help to deter any would-be thieves trying to go through your parcels by the simple fact that the presence of strapping will make it more difficult and longer to open. Stretch film also works in a similar way for pallet loads and can help conceal the exact contents of a pallet (especially in the case of black and other opaque stretch wraps).

Pallet Covered In Black Stretch Wrap

Putting Branding On The Inside

Often, we would recommend adding branding and designs to the outside of your packaging as it improves the experience for your customers and makes your packaging more aesthetically pleasing. However, if you’re worried about people tampering with your parcels you may want to consider bringing the branding to the inside of the box. By doing this you aren’t missing out on all the benefits that customised packaging brings, but you’ll make it much harder for would-be thieves to be able to identify the contents of your parcels are.

Hopefully, you never have to deal with parcel tampering, but should you ever be in the position that you find yourself needing to add more security to your parcels we hope that these tips serve you well. 