Packaging artwork: a pre-press checklist

A practical pre-press checklist for FMCG packaging artwork — the checks that catch the mistakes before they become reprints.

Reprints are expensive. Recalls are worse. Most of both come down to small things missed at the pre-press stage. Here's the checklist we run before any FMCG packaging file leaves the studio.

1. Dieline & structure

Dieline supplied by the printer, not invented from a flat sample
Dieline on its own non-printing layer, named clearly
Bleeds extended past every cut, fold and perforation
Safe area respected — no critical copy near a fold

2. Colour

Working in the right colour space (CMYK + named spots)
Spot colours named consistently and matched to the brand library
Total Area Coverage (TAC) within the printer's limit
Rich black used for solid blacks, single-channel black for small text
Overprint set correctly on whites and varnishes

3. Copy & legal

Master copy deck approved and signed off
Ingredients, allergens and claims checked against the latest legal version
Recycling marks correct for the destination market
On-pack claims match the brand's regulatory file
Font sizes meet minimum legal requirements (e.g. ingredients copy)

4. Barcodes

Correct symbology (EAN-13, UPC, GS1 DataBar) for the market
Generated at the right magnification for the substrate
Quiet zones intact
Check digit verified
Bar colour against background contrast checked

5. Images & assets

All linked images embedded or packaged
Image resolution at final print size (typically 300 dpi)
No RGB images sneaking through
Cutouts on transparent backgrounds, not white-fill
Brand assets pulled from the master library, not a reused PDF

6. Pre-flight

File pre-flighted against the printer's profile
Separations previewed page by page
Output preview checked for overprint surprises
Layers flattened where required by the printer
File weight within the printer's upload limit

7. Delivery

File named to the printer's convention
Working file archived alongside the print-ready PDF
Release note covering substrate, finish, special instructions
Version logged so amends can be tracked cleanly

Want a senior pair of eyes on your next FMCG packaging rollout? Get in touch — we handle this so your team doesn't have to.