(513) 870-0080

Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) Testing

CPG packaging testing is what we have done for 38 years. gh Package and Product Testing has validated packaging for consumer packaged goods brands shipping through retail, e-commerce, and mixed-channel supply chains since 1987. Our ISO 17025 accredited labs in Fairfield, Ohio and Phoenix, Arizona run ISTA and ASTM testing for some of the most recognized CPG brands in the world. 

When your packaging needs to meet an Amazon, Walmart, FedEx, or Sam’s Club requirement — or when you need to understand why a package failed in the field — gh Testing has the equipment, the accreditation, and the experience to run the program and produce documentation your supply chain requires. 

CPG Packaging Testing for Retail and E-Commerce Distribution

gh Testing validates CPG packaging across every distribution mode — retail supply chain, e-commerce parcel, club store pallet, and LTL freight. We run ISTA procedures and ASTM methods individually or as complete sequenced distribution cycles that replicate real-world shipping conditions. 

Testing programs are built around your distribution channel and your retailer requirement. Common programs include:

  • ISTA Procedures — 1A, 1B, 1C, 1D, 2A, 2B, 3A, 3B, 6-Amazon SIOC, 6-Amazon Over Boxing, 6-FedEx, 6-Sam’s Club, and additional procedures as required

  • ASTM D4169 — distribution cycle testing at Assurance Levels I, II, and III across the full range of distribution cycles

  • Vibration, Drop, Compression, Incline Impact — individually or sequenced to replicate complete distribution exposure from origin to destination

  • Environmental Conditioning — temperature and humidity profiles from -20°F to 140°F, run before mechanical test sequences to replicate real seasonal and climate conditions

  • Corrugated Materials Testing — board qualification and substrate evaluation supporting package design and supplier qualification

  • LTL and Freight — NMFC Item 180 and 181 for carrier certification programs

Environmental conditioning is a step many CPG validation programs skip under schedule pressure. It is also the step that reveals how adhesives, seals, and corrugated structures behave in summer heat or winter cold — before a drop or compression test begins. Both our Ohio and Phoenix facilities run conditioning programs integrated with mechanical test sequences.

Retailer and Carrier Compliance for CPG Packaging Testing Programs

Major retail partners and carriers publish specific packaging performance requirements. Meeting those requirements means running the right protocol and producing documentation that the retailer’s compliance team will accept. gh Testing is ISO 17025 accredited, which means our reports meet the documentation standard required by most major retail partners for vendor qualification and compliance submission.

We support compliance programs for: 

  • Amazon — ISTA 6-Amazon SIOC and Over Boxing for FBA and FBM sellers. Amazon packaging requirements do not prohibit additional conditioning — for products with adhesive closures or heat-sealed components, conditioning before the mechanical sequence produces a more complete test record

  • FedEx — ISTA 6-FedEx A and B certified parcel testing

  • Sam’s Club — ISTA 6-Sam’s Club packaging program requirements

  • Walmart and major retail — ASTM D4169 distribution cycle compliance documentation

  • LTL Freight Carriers — NMFC Item 180 and Item 181 certification through NMFTA

When ISTA or NMFTA certification is part of the program, gh Testing manages the submission on behalf of the client. You receive certified documentation without managing the process yourself.

Why CPG Brands Choose gh Testing

We have been doing this work since 1987. In that time we have served more than 3,000 clients — including brands that have trusted us across multiple product lines, multiple retailers, and multiple decades. That depth of experience shows up in test program design, in documentation quality, and in the conversations we have with engineers when something fails and they need to understand why. 

  • ISO 17025 Accredited — test reports accepted for retailer compliance, regulatory documentation, and third-party vendor qualification

  • ISTA Certified — with direct ISTA and NMFTA certification submission support so your team does not have to manage that process

  • Two Lab Locations — Ohio serves Midwest distribution networks; Phoenix is positioned for Southwest U.S. and West Coast supply chains including Amazon fulfillment operations in the Goodyear and Las Vegas corridor

  • Full Documentation — test reports, photographs, video documentation, and measurement uncertainty data available — everything a regulatory audit or retailer submission requires

  • 38 Years of CPG Experience — we have seen the failure modes, the retailer requirement changes, and the supply chain shifts. That institutional knowledge is part of what you get when you work with gh Testing

ISTA procedures referenced on this page are published by the International Safe Transit Association. Official ISTA procedure documentation is available at ISTA.org.

Talk to gh Testing Before You Submit a Single Sample

The best time to call us is before you have committed to a protocol, not after. We can tell you which test applies to your distribution channel, what the timeline looks like, how many samples you need, and what documentation your retailer requires. That conversation takes fifteen minutes and it saves a lot of time downstream.  

If you have a retailer deadline, a new product launch, or a field failure that needs investigation — call now.

Ohio — Midwest distribution: 513-870-0080

Phoenix — Southwest U.S. and West Coast: 623-869-8010

You can also email info@ghtesting.com. Include your product category, distribution channel, and any retailer requirement — we will respond with a program recommendation and next steps. 

Related Resources

gh Testing provides packaging validation across multiple industries and distribution environments. Related pages: