Packaging Material Price Index

The Producer Price Index (PPI) measures average changes over time in selling prices received by domestic producers. Published monthly by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and distributed through FRED (Federal Reserve Economic Data), these indexes are the most widely referenced public data for tracking wholesale price movements in packaging supply chains.

Each PPI series is expressed as an index relative to a base period (usually set at 100). The absolute number matters less than the direction and rate of change — rising indexes indicate upward pressure on raw material costs, which typically flows through to finished packaging prices within 1-3 months.

For buyers and sellers of secondary packaging on Repackify, material cost trends provide essential context. When containerboard or resin prices climb, demand for reclaimed alternatives often increases, supporting stronger secondary market prices.