UN packaging codes are a global system of labelling developed by the United Nations (UN). These codes may seem to be complicated for interpreting initially, however, after you familiarize yourself with each section, decoding the packaging codes becomes a piece of cake.

Each UN packaging code can have up to nine components, of which, we will only focus on the Packaging Identification Codes, in this article.

The Packaging Identification Code is comprised of :

1. Packaging Type

2. Material

3. Category

These three elements when combined together, form the Packaging Identification Code.

The table below provides a detailed breakdown of the codes, based on Type, Material and Category.