Buyer's checklist
Twelve questions that separate a document from a brochure.
Most packaging disputes are not about quality. They are about a claim nobody could evidence. These are the questions we expect from a serious buyer — and the answers we expect from a serious supplier.
On the certificate
01
Which exact product, form and thickness does this certificate cover?
Certification is product-specific. A certificate for a 280 ml single-wall cup does not cover a 500 ml double-wall cup — and the difference is not visible on the certificate unless you look for it.
02
Who issued it, and what is the licence number?
A named certification body and a number are the difference between a certificate and a graphic.
03
Can I look it up myself, without asking you?
If the answer is no, the certificate is not independently verifiable, whatever it says.
04
What is the measured non-paper content, and who measured it?
For the PPWR 95/5 treatment the number has to be measured on the finished article, not quoted from a coating specification.
On the food-contact file
05
Which regulation is the declaration of conformity issued against?
A DoC without a named regulation is a letter, not a declaration.
06
When was the migration test performed, and on which sample?
Reports older than the current formulation, or run on a different sample, do not cover what you are buying.
07
Is there intentionally added PFAS in the grease barrier — and what replaces it?
“PFAS-free” is easy to write. Naming the barrier technology is harder and more useful.
08
Is it compostable to EN 13432, at what thickness, and in which environment?
Industrial composting and home composting are different claims with different certificates.
On the transaction
09
Where does the fibre come from, and can you name the country of harvest?
Chain-of-custody certification and plot-level origin are not the same thing, and EUDR asks for the second.
10
Which legal entity issues the invoice, and how does it relate to the certificate holder?
This is the question that most often reveals an undisclosed trading structure. It deserves a one-sentence answer.
11
Have any of these documents changed since my last order?
Silent revisions are how a compliant file becomes a non-compliant one.
12
If I ask for a document you do not have, what do you do?
The answer tells you more about the supplier than any certificate. The acceptable answer is “we will tell you it does not exist, and here is what it would take”.
Send us all twelve
Paste the list into an email or the form. We will answer each one in writing, including the ones where the answer is “not available”.