How can I check a packaging supplier’s quality complaints and returns?

Begin inside the business you are considering. Ask for the file of complaints it has raised with this supplier, along with credit notes and replacement orders. That shows how problems were really settled, which a sales pitch will not.

Look for patterns. Are the faults about crushed corners, wrong print, colour drift or late delivery? One-off slips are normal, while the same issue returning suggests a process problem. Notice who absorbed the cost and how long it took to get a credit. Next, ask the supplier how it tracks defects and whether it will share its own log. Request names of other customers and call one or two. Ask them what happens when something goes wrong. Also ask what the business does while a faulty batch is being replaced. Whether it keeps spare boxes, borrows from another supplier or simply apologizes to its own customers tells you how much the supplier’s problems become yours.

Finally, look at what the business did when a delivery failed. Did it hold safety stock, switch suppliers, or pass delays on to its own clients? That tells you how exposed it is. Your lawyer can read the supplier terms on returns and liability, and your accountant can check how returns appear in the margins.

Key takeaways

• Ask for the complaint log, credit notes and replacement orders.
• Look for repeating faults, who paid, and how fast fixes arrived.
• Call other customers of the supplier and inspect a recent delivery yourself.