• Inner packaging must be packed in such a way that they will not break, be punctured, or leak into outer packaging.

Inner packagings must be packed, secured, or cushioned in outer packaging so that they cannot:

• Break,
• Be punctured, or
• Leak their contents into the outer packaging.

Inner packagings containing liquids must be:

• Packaged with their closures upward, and
• Placed within outer packagings consistent with the requirements for orientation marks.

Inner packagings that could break or be punctured easily must be secured in the outer packagings with suitable cushioning material. Any leakage of contents must not impair the protective properties of the cushioning material or of the outer packaging.

“Inner packaging” versus “inner receptacle”

The inners of combination packagings are termed “inner packagings.” A glass bottle is an example of such an inner packaging.

The inners of composite packagings are termed “inner receptacles.” For example, the inner of a 6HA1 composite packaging is an “inner receptacle,” since it is not designed to perform a containment function without its outer packaging.

Using different inner packagings

If an outer packaging of a combination packaging has been successfully tested with different types of inner packagings, a variety of those different inner packagings may be assembled in the outer packaging.

If an equivalent level of performance is maintained, the following variations in inner packagings are also allowed without further testing of the package:

• Inner packagings of equivalent or smaller size may be used if:
  • The inner packagings are of similar shape to the tested inner packagings;
  • The material of construction of the inner packagings offers resistance to impact and stacking forces equal to or greater than that of the originally tested inner packaging;
  • The inner packagings have the same or smaller openings and the closure is of similar design;
  • Sufficient additional cushioning material is used to take up void spaces and to prevent movement of the inner packagings; and
  • Inner packagings are oriented within the outer packaging in the same manner as in the tested package.
• A lesser number of the tested or alternative inner packagings may be used if sufficient cushioning is added to fill the void space and prevent movement of the inner packagings.