Liquids and pastes (personal care, food, sauces, oils) leak — and one leak ruins the whole batch. The order is seal first, contain the leak, then cushion.
Standard steps
- Seal the capTighten; wrap the neck with sealing film or use a leak-proof cap.
- Contain eachEach bottle in its own leak-proof bag or shrink wrap.
- Stand uprightCaps up; secure against tipping.
- Line the boxUse an absorbent pad or thick liner at the bottom to stop spread.
- CushionPrevent crush and burst; separate bottles.
- Seal & labelApply liquids / this-way-up marks.
Don’ts
- Relying only on the original cap with no secondary seal;
- Bottles touching without leak bags;
- Mixing liquid heavy items with fragile items without separation.
For long-distance/cross-border orders, put an absorbent pad in the outer box so a small leak does not soak the label or box and scrap the whole shipment.
Equipment prices are indicative Australian retail bands in AUD for 2026. They vary by brand, retailer, promotion and over time, and exclude GST, freight and installation; the invoice at purchase prevails. “Seconds saved” are ranges from published warehouse-operations material — estimates, not guarantees. Time your own process with a stopwatch first. See Sources & method.
Combine with the fragile spec for glass bottles; moisture protection when mixing electronics is in the electronics spec.