Packaging Void Space Calculator
Enter your box and product dimensions to see how much empty space you're shipping - and what it's costing you. Oversized boxes get billed more by carriers and waste packing material, on top of new EU rules limiting empty space. Get a smaller box size that fits, see the estimated shipping cost saved, and check compliance. Nothing uploaded.
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Full breakdown
Shipping cost detail ?
Compliance vs. limit
Packing efficiency (product + filler vs. box): - ?
Common carton sizes for these contents
| Box | Dimensions | Void space | Status |
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Saved checks ?
Learn more: box void space, shipping cost and the EU 50% rule
Void ratio and dimensional weight
The void ratio is the empty volume in a box, box volume minus product volume, divided by box volume. A 30 x 20 x 15 cm box is 9,000 cm3. A 15 x 10 x 8 cm item is 1,200 cm3, which leaves 7,800 cm3 empty, a void ratio of 86.7%.
Carriers bill the greater of actual and dimensional weight. The tool divides box volume by 5,000 cm3 per kg, or 139 in3 per lb for inches. Those divisors are common conventions and carriers set their own, so check yours. Here the box has a dimensional weight of 9,000 / 5,000 = 1.8 kg. If the item weighs 0.5 kg, you pay for 1.8 kg.
The tool also suggests a box scaled down in all three dimensions until the void ratio reaches the limit. For this item that is about 19.3 x 12.9 x 9.7 cm, a volume of 2,400 cm3 and a dimensional weight of 0.48 kg, so the 0.5 kg actual weight would be billed.
The EU empty-space limit
Latham & Watkins' summary of the EU packaging regulation says the regulation applies from 12 August 2026. Under Article 24, from 1 January 2030, the maximum empty space ratio for grouped, transport or e-commerce packaging does not exceed 50%. Empty space is the difference between the overall volume of the packaging and the volume of the packaged product.
Packaging Gateway's report on the cap adds that it counts any unoccupied volume, including filler such as air cushions, bubble wrap, foam and paper padding. It also notes that early discussions included a stricter 40% figure but the final framework centres on 50%.
The tool checks your box against 50% now. The date has passed for the regulation to apply, but the numeric cap is not binding until 2030. The countdown chip shows the days remaining.
FAQ
Does filler change the void ratio?
No. The tool calculates the void ratio from the box and product volumes only, and the sources above say filler counts as empty space. The filler field affects the packing efficiency figure, not the compliance result.
Why might a smaller box not cut my shipping cost?
Carriers bill the greater of actual and dimensional weight. If the item already weighs more than the box's dimensional weight, a smaller box lowers the void ratio but not the bill.
Do the standard box suggestions guarantee compliance?
They show each standard carton's void ratio for your product volume. This is an estimate for your own planning. The regulation covers more than this tool does, so check the legal text and your carrier's rules before you finalise packaging.