The True Cost of Sending a Jar of Jam

In today’s world of online shopping, where “free delivery” has become the norm thanks to retail giants like Amazon, small businesses face a very different reality. While large corporations can afford to absorb or subsidise postage and packaging costs, small independent producers—especially those selling single, low-margin items—simply can’t. So let’s take a closer look at the real cost of sending just one jar of jam and why, for businesses like ours, “free shipping” isn’t so simple.

What Goes Into the Price of a Jar of Jam?

Let’s start with the basics. A small-batch jam producer might sell a premium jar of jam to a retailer for £2.40. This covers everything it takes to make that jar:

• Fresh fruit, sugar, and other ingredients

• The jar, lid, and label

• Labour, energy, and production overheads

To stay afloat, the producer needs to sell this jar for around £4.25, roughly doubling the cost to cover their time and make a small profit. But that figure doesn’t include getting the jar into your hands.

Now Add Postage and Packaging

Sending a single jar safely to a customer adds significantly to the cost. Here’s a breakdown of what that looks like:

🧰 Packaging Materials

• Protective wrap (bubble wrap or paper): £0.50

• Cardboard box: £0.58

• Tape and filler: £0.05

• Total packaging cost: £1.13

🚚 Postage

A single jar of jam, including packaging, weighs around 340–400g. Most couriers charge us around £6.00 for tracked delivery.

💳 Additional Costs

We haven’t even factored in:

• The time it takes to pack and process the order

• Payment processing fees (~3%)

• Website maintenance

• Marketing costs

The Final Tally

Here’s what the full cost looks like:

• Jar of jam: £2.40

• Packaging: £1.13

• Courier: £6.00

Total cost to send one jar: £9.53

If we sell that jar at the recommended retail price of £4.25, we’re instantly at a loss—and that’s before we consider any of the time or backend costs of running a small business.

Why We’re Sharing This With You

We completely understand why customers may hesitate when they see shipping added at checkout. Paying £10+ for a £4.25 product can feel excessive. And with so many big companies offering free delivery, it’s easy to assume shipping charges are inflated or even a sneaky way to make extra profit.

That’s not what we do here.

We believe in transparency. We want you to know exactly why we charge what we do and where your money goes. For small, independent businesses, postage and packaging isn’t a profit centre—it’s a genuine cost of doing business.

The Bottom Line

Free shipping isn’t free—it’s simply built into the price or absorbed by businesses with the volume and margins to make it work. Small producers and retailers don’t have that luxury.

So the next time you’re shopping with a small business and see a postage fee added to your basket, know that you’re not just paying for a stamp—you’re supporting real people who are putting care, craft, and heart into what they do.

A jar of jam might be small, but the love, time, and cost behind it are anything but