Posted on 16-March-2026

Streamlined cartons deliver efficiency and sustainability across the supply chain

At Daniels Healthcare, we’re always looking for ways to make our products, process and services more efficient and more sustainable – it’s part of our Sustainability Promise. Our latest carton efficiency project is a great example of how incremental changes can create meaningful benefits for both healthcare teams and the environment. We’ll be launching this change from the 1^st April.

A case of too many cases

Traditionally, our outer cartons for sharps containers came in multiple sizes. While functional, they created challenges:

• Overhanging pallets increased the risk of damage in transit.
• Inefficient use of space on pallet that could have fit more product.
• Warehouses had to manage more carton variants, adding complexity.
• More cardboard was used overall, leading to higher recycling volumes.

The new approach

We’ve introduced a single carton design that can be used across our 2.5L, 3.75L, 5L and 24L containers. This size of carton was first successfully introduced for the 24L range last year, and by now using the same design for the 2.5L, 3.75L and 5L containers, we’ve optimised the way they are packed.

At 785g, the new carton is slightly heavier than previous versions, but the improvement in overall system efficiency more than makes up for it. The 2.5L and 3.75L containers, which were previously packed in cartons of 48, will now be packed in 84s and 66s respectively.

 Annual savings that add up

The impact of this change is already clear, with significant savings calculated across the supply chain each year (based on sales between Aug-24 and Jul-25):

• Cartons saved: 19,958 fewer cases (a reduction of 40.29%)
• Pallets saved: 842 fewer pallets (a reduction of 20.39%)
• Lorries saved: 16 full lorry journeys removed from the road
• Cardboard saved: 6,158 kg less cardboard used (a reduction of 20.96%)

 What this means for our customers

• Fewer deliveries to manage = less admin for procurement teams and reduced congestion in busy loading bays.
• More consistent stock levels = a greater on-site buffer helps prevent potential shortages during peak demand, such as winter pressures.
• Improved storage efficiency = fewer pallets mean less racking space required.
• Operational time savings = staff spend less time moving multiple smaller cartons internally.
• Sustainability alignment = Tangible reductions in cardboard, pallets, and lorry journeys directly support NHS Green Plan goals.

 Thinking outside (and inside) the box

This project is part of our wider Sustainability Promise: to keep innovating in ways that reduce environmental impact while supporting frontline healthcare. By rethinking something as simple as a carton, we’re proving that small changes can deliver big results.