Many U.S. foodservice operators are increasingly frustrated with how corrugated packaging prices are set. Prices for fiber-based products, including takeout boxes and shipping cartons, often rely on benchmarks that critics say are opaque and lag behind real-time market dynamics. Now, Bloomberg is stepping into the space with a new open-market pricing index that could give buyers and distributors a more transparent view of costs.
The Bloomberg Box Price Index (BBPI) is the company’s first foray into pricing fiber-based packaging. It uses real-time transactional data from across the supply chain to provide weekly pricing for corrugated boxes in the open market. This launch could help restaurants, distributors, and packaging buyers make more informed purchasing decisions amid ongoing inflation and supply chain fluctuations.
Why The Box Price Index Matters To Foodservice
For foodservice operators, corrugated fiberboard isn’t just a shipping material, it's a frontline packaging solution for takeout, delivery, and supply logistics. The pricing of these boxes often ties back to indexes like Pulp & Paper Week’s benchmark for linerboard. But that benchmark has drawn criticism for being static, overly reliant on supplier data, and not representative of actual transaction prices.
Bloomberg’s BBPI differs by leveraging real-time transactional data provided by Veritiv, a North American packaging distributor. This data represents a snapshot of open-market sales, stripped of long-term contractual pricing. For restaurant chains and distribution partners sourcing packaging regularly, this more responsive index could better reflect actual costs at the time of purchase.
How The Index Works
According to Bloomberg and BloombergNEF, the BBPI tracks pricing trends weekly based on real-world transaction data. It aggregates price information from sales of standard corrugated boxes between Veritiv and its customers. The index is publicly available and designed to serve as a more accurate reference point for fiber-based packaging than existing benchmarks.
The data powering the index comes from the open market, rather than long-term contracts or manufacturer-reported prices. This gives operators and buyers a clearer understanding of near-term costs, which can inform procurement strategies and budget planning.
Industry Reactions & Operational Implications
The launch of the BBPI comes at a time when stakeholders across the fiber packaging supply chain are calling for greater transparency. Analysts have long pointed out that existing indexes can distort pricing negotiations and often fail to reflect shifts in demand, raw material costs, or shipping dynamics in a timely way.
For restaurant groups and food distributors managing packaging costs across multiple locations, an index grounded in real sales data could help:
Benchmark costs more accurately
Respond to price shifts with greater agility
Negotiate supplier contracts with improved data confidence
While the BBPI doesn’t yet influence contract pricing directly, it offers a publicly accessible alternative that buyers can reference in discussions with vendors.
A Step Toward Open Market Clarity
Bloomberg’s move could set a precedent for other data providers to rethink how fiber packaging prices are tracked. Although the BBPI is currently focused on standard corrugated boxes, it signals a broader interest in creating pricing tools that reflect real-time market conditions. If adopted widely, it could pressure traditional indexes to evolve or be supplemented by more dynamic models.
Foodservice operators relying heavily on fiber packaging for takeout, catering, and delivery programs should consider watching this new index. As packaging costs remain a critical input in profitability, especially in off-premise dining, tools like the BBPI may offer better visibility into one of the industry's most volatile expense categories.
