Importing food packaging from Türkiye: a guide for EU and UK wholesalers
Customs, documents, lead times and freight options when buying paper cups, bags and takeaway boxes from a Turkish manufacturer.
Why European buyers source from Türkiye
Türkiye is close enough to deliver by truck in under a week, and the EU–Türkiye customs union lets industrial goods such as paper packaging move with an A.TR certificate instead of customs duty. Compared with Far-East sourcing, you get shorter lead times, smaller minimum orders and mixed-product trucks.
Documents you will receive
Each shipment comes with a commercial invoice, packing list and a food-contact declaration. EU buyers receive an A.TR movement certificate; UK buyers receive origin documents for the UK–Türkiye trade agreement. Ask for your packaging weights per material if you need to report under national packaging schemes.
Lead times and freight
Plain stock items usually ship within days; custom-printed orders take about 3–6 weeks in production. Road freight takes roughly 4–6 days to Germany, 5–6 days to the Netherlands and 6–8 days to the UK. Full containers can go by sea via Hamburg, Rotterdam or Felixstowe.
Start with samples
Before a first order, test the products in your own kitchen or warehouse. We send free samples of the sizes you sell most, so you can check fit, wall strength and print quality.