Child-Safe Packaging Group

What Child-Safe Packaging Group does

Child-Safe Packaging Group (CSPG) is a UK trade association founded in May 1995 that represents manufacturers of child-resistant packaging. Its membership comprises packaging producers, closure makers, toolmakers, and liner manufacturers serving both the pharmaceutical industry and consumer products sectors. The association's stated purpose is to reduce the incidence of child poisoning from pharmaceuticals and household chemicals by promoting child-resistant packaging standards, an area of public health concern given figures cited by CSPG referencing approximately 45,000 child ingestion incidents in the UK.

CSPG's core technical activity centres on child-panel testing protocols and the development of packaging standards. The organisation has driven testing methodologies using children aged 42–51 months and sequential testing approaches, and has contributed to closure mechanism designs including push-down-and-turn closures, peel-back security strips, and cognitive barrier designs. Notable member-developed systems include BlisterloK and Pill Protect (non-reclosable formats) and Dragon's DropaloK (aromatherapy applications). The association's principal regulatory achievements are the development of BS 8404 (published December 2001) and contributions to ISO 8317 (2nd edition, April 2003), with BS 8404 subsequently incorporated into the UK Medicines (Child Safety) Regulations 2003.

CSPG operates as a membership-based trade association rather than a product company. Revenue is derived from member dues, with the secretariat run by Stephen Wilkins through Stephen Wilkins Associates. The association also pursues academic engagement, including design competitions with universities such as the University of Salford. Revenue figures, headcount, and detailed financial data are not publicly disclosed, consistent with the private status of a small UK trade body.

Name

Child-Safe Packaging Group

Legal name

Child-Safe Packaging Group

Website

https://childsafepackagingroup.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1995

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

UK trade association founded in 1995 representing manufacturers of child-resistant packaging. Promotes testing standards (BS 8404, ISO 8317) for reclosable and non-reclosable pharmaceutical and consumer product packaging, and advocates for regulation to prevent child poisoning incidents.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Industry Trade Association / Packaging Standards

NAICS

Professional Organizations (81392)

akta.pro primary industry

Child-Resistant & Senior-Friendly Pharmaceutical Packaging (IMALAIAI)

akta.pro secondary industries

Blister & Unit-Dose Packaging (CR/TE Blisters, Strip Packs) (IMALANAD), Child-Resistant Closures (CRC) (IMALALAI), Regulatory & Safety Features (Tamper-evident, Child-resistant, Compliance) (IMALAJAO)

Keywords

• Child resistant packaging
• Packaging standards development
• Child safety testing
• Pharmaceutical blister packs
• Reclosable closure systems

Headquarters

HQ city

Wrexham

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

CSPG is a UK trade association, not a product company, formed in May 1995 by manufacturers of child-resistant packaging. It represents UK manufacturers of reclosable (bottles with child-resistant closures) and non-reclosable (blister and strip packs) packaging systems, and exists to promote the specification and adoption of child-resistant packaging, develop and advocate for testing standards such as BS 8404 and ISO 8317, and act as a research repository on child-resistance testing available to members and designers.

Product overview

Child-Safe Packaging Group (CSPG) is a trade association, not a product company. It does not offer a unified platform or product portfolio. CSPG was formed in 1995 to promote the specification and success of child-resistant packaging for all products whose ingestion or other contact could prove seriously distressing to a child. The association represents UK manufacturers of child-resistant packaging systems including reclosable packaging (bottle and child-resistant closure systems) and flexible/non-reclosable packaging (blister packs and strip packs). CSPG's activities include lobbying for standards, sponsoring design competitions at universities, presenting papers on regulations and technology, and advocating for testing protocols for child-resistant packaging.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 92.5% of tested children accessed at least 3 tablets from standard blister packs prior to demonstration, demonstrating the critical need for child resistant flexible packaging standards.
• +2 more outcomes

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature6 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Packaging FederationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004CSPG became affiliated to the Packaging Federation in July 2004. The affiliation provides access to the Federation's political and industry network. PF Chief Executive Ian Dent noted CSPG's expertise and membership adds to the intellectual resources of the PF.
• Sheffield Hallam University (Dr Belinda Winder)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003Academic research collaboration on false affordances in packaging design and cognitive aspects of child resistance.
• Pill ProtectminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2003UK company that developed child resistant flexible packaging solution passing BS 8404 compliance certificate in March 2003. System uses combination of permanent and peelable adhesive labels allowing existing blister packing equipment to run at optimum speeds.
• Pago (Colchester)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999Flexible pack manufacturer that adopted the CSPG-sponsored child resistant blister pack patent. Pago undertook development work at its Colchester facility on label solutions for child resistant blister packs and became a member following involvement in the development work.
• Salford University (Professor Denis Smith)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1999CSPG is working with Professor Denis Smith to produce a risk management implications paper on use or non-use of child resistant packaging.
• HSD Limited (South Wales)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1998Toolmaker that joined CSPG in 1998 having designed three brand new child resistant closures, including one specifically for narrow bore tubes extending CRC technology into new market areas.
• Manchester Metropolitan UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1997CSPG sponsors student design competition at Manchester Metropolitan University (Crewe & Alsager Campus) for child resistant blister pack designs. Competition produced innovative concepts including Dean Thornton's 'Squeeze to gain access' winning entry.
• Dragon Plastics LimitedcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Founder member of CSPG representing closure manufacturers. Dragon Plastics developed DropaloK award-winning child resistant packaging solution (1996) for aromatherapy industry and later pharmaceuticals. Also developed BlisterloK system with single-piece injection moulding for child resistant blister containment.
• RPC Containers (Halstead, Essex)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Major UK closure and container manufacturer and member of CSPG representing rigid packaging manufacturers.
• SmithKline Beecham (later GlaxoSmithKline)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Major pharmaceutical company that took up the CSPG-sponsored patent for child resistant blister pack technology developed by Dr James Robertson. Also experimented with blister packs disguised to obscure product visibility.
• Sonoco Capseals (Berkshire)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Multinational and UK market leader in liner manufacturer that joined CSPG as member representing packaging supply industry.
• Owens Illinois (USA)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995International packaging manufacturer with North American operations that became member of CSPG.
• Unique Mould Makers Limited (Canada)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Canadian manufacturer that became member of CSPG representing North American presence.
• Dr James Robertson (Paediatrician)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 1995Staff Grade Paediatrician at Arrowe Park Hospital who designed child resistant blister pack concepts. Originated security strip ('unburstable') patent and developed thumbnail break systems based on hardness differences between child and adult fingernails. Serves as consultant to CSPG.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• RPC Group (now Berry Global): RPC Containers (Halstead, Essex) was a core CSPG member representing rigid CR packaging manufacturers. As a leading plastic packaging manufacturer, it is the closest commercial-scale peer among CSPG's membership roster.
• Institute of Packaging Professionals (IoPP): Professional body for packaging practitioners worldwide. CSPG has presented at IoPP/PIRA conferences, and IoPP provides adjacent professional-development, certification, and standards-influence activities comparable in nature if not in CR-specific scope.
• Child Accident Prevention Trust (CAPT): UK charity running Child Safety Week and producing data on child poisoning incidents. CSPG has publicly responded to CAPT's claims (e.g., 2004 'one in five toddlers' statement), making it a closely engaged peer organization in child-safety advocacy.
• Perritt Laboratories: US-based independent testing laboratory that represented ASTM/US positions on child-resistant packaging at CEN meetings and provided critical analysis of BS 8404 methodology. Closest testing-laboratory counterpart to CSPG's protocol work.
• British Standards Institution (BSI): UK national standards body that published BS 8404, which CSPG was instrumental in drafting. BSI is the formal publisher of CR packaging standards and a key institutional counterpart rather than a direct competitor.

Direct peers

• INCPEN (Industry Council for Packaging and the Environment): UK packaging industry council referenced directly on CSPG's website links. Both are UK-based packaging trade bodies operating in adjacent advocacy and policy areas, serving overlapping industry stakeholders.
• Closure Manufacturers Association: US association of closure manufacturers that CSPG presented to in 1999 in Chicago. It is the most direct North American counterpart for the rigid/reclosable CRC portion of CSPG's membership.
• Packaging Federation: UK packaging industry federation to which CSPG became affiliated in 2004. It is a peer trade association serving the broader UK packaging industry and provides the political and industry network that CSPG accesses through affiliation.

Broad incumbents

• Consumer Healthcare Products Association (CHPA): US trade association for OTC medicine and dietary supplement manufacturers, with active committees on child-resistant packaging. A larger, US-centric peer operating in the same pharmaceutical CR regulatory space.

Regional players

• British Plastics Federation: UK plastics industry trade association representing polymer producers and converters. Several CSPG members (e.g., Dragon Plastics, RPC Containers) are likely BPF members, making it a regional industry peer.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/gwalia-packaging-group

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Child-Safe Packaging Group